Women's Hoops to Face New Brunswick in Exhibition Contest Thursday Evening
ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team (8-23, 4-12 America East) return to the hardwood for the first time this season as they welcome New Brunswick to Orono for an exhibition contest on Thursday, Nov. 1 at 7:30 PM.
The Black Bears return four letterwinners to their 2012-13 squad as junior forward Ashleigh Roberts (7.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG) is Maine's top returning scorer. Roberts is joined by senior forward Corinne Wellington (4.4, 3.7) and sophomores Courtney Anderson (4.7, 3.2) and Danielle Walczak (5.8, 4.7).
Last season the Black Bears finished at 8-23 overall and 4-12 in league play, doubling both their overall and conference victories from the season before. Maine also won its first postseason contest since 2006 as it defeated Stony Brook by a score of 49-43 in the opening round of the America East tournament.
Maine has a brand new look this season as it welcomes in nine new freshmen to this season's squad, including six newcomers from overseas. The Black Bears have a bit of an international feel this season as they welcome in freshmen from Serbia, Israel, Sweden, Finland, the United Kingdom and Germany.
The Varsity Reds lost three of their top four scorers but return their overall top scorer and rebounder in junior wing Claire Colborne. Last season, Colborne started all 20 games for New Brunswick while averaging 20.6 PPG and 5.1 RPG. New Brunswick is coming off a 6-14 season in which it averaged 68.1 PPG but gave up 75.4 PPG to its opposition.
Maine also opened up last season with an exhibition contest against New Brunswick, a game won 78-62 by the Black Bears. The two teams have played a total of 11 times in the history of Maine basketball with Maine holding a slight 6-5 advantage. The two teams first played in 1979 and played 10 times between 1979-1985 before meeting for an 11th time last season. Maine currently holds a two game winning streak over the Varsity Reds.
The Black Bears have been selected to finish seventh in the America East Preseason Coaches' Poll, a year after finishing in eighth place. The Albany Great Danes, last season's America East Champions, were selected to repeat as champions.
Maine opens up the 2012-13 regular season on Friday, Nov. 9 as it travels to take part in the Sheraton Raleigh Wolfpack Invitational, hosted by NC State. The Black Bears will face Auburn in the opening round of the tournament at 2 PM before playing either NC State or Wofford on day two.
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