Women's Basketball Travels to Face Hartford Wednesday on ESPN3

Game Notes -- Live Stats -- Video -- Audio

ORONO, Maine -- The Black Bears take back to the road for a pair of games beginning with Wednesday evening's matchup at Hartford (16-8, 7-4 America East) live on ESPN3. Maine looks to avenge a 52-37 loss earlier this season to the Hawks. The Black Bears trailed by eight at the half in game one against Hartford this season. Danielle Walczak led Maine in that game with 15 points and three rebounds while Chantel Charles added seven points.
 
The Black Bears enter Wednesday averaging 53.3 points per game while giving up 68.5 points per game. Maine is shooting 36.3% from the field, 25.5% from three-point range and 67.1% from the free throw line. Maine averages 36.5 rebounds per game, 11.7 assists and 6.9 steals while forcing 15.4 turnovers.

The Black Bears, who have been bitten by the injury bug this season, recently lost sophomore forward Danielle Walczak, who led the Black Bears in scoring as she was averaging 10.4 points per game with 5.2 rebounds and a team-high 47.7% mark from the floor, for the year. Junior guard Ashleigh Roberts is chipping in 9.7 points per game to go along with 4.5 rebounds and a 71.4% mark from the free-throw line. Freshman Liz Wood, who has recorded double-figures in scoring in six of her last seven games, is now averaging 9.1 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds. Wood tallied her fourth double-double of the year with 19 points and a career-high 11 rebounds two games ago against UMBC. Wood also leads the Black Bears in assists (2.4) and steals (1.3). Wood is averaging 11.4 points per game and 6.9 rebounds in conference only games. Courtney Anderson is averaging 6.5 PPG with 3.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists.

Hartford, winners of four of its last five games, enter the game averaging 56.3 points per game while shooting 39.3% from the floor, 27.1% from beyond the arc and 68.9% from the free throw line. The Hawks are averaging 33.1 rebounds per game while forcing 18.5 turnovers.  Hartford, currently riding a four-game home win streak, is led by Nikkia Smith's 11.0 points per game and her team-leading 5.2 rebounds. Amber Bepko, coming off a career-high 20 points in the Hawks' latest win over Stony Brook, is chipping in 10.8 points while shooting a team-high 35.4% from three-point range. Daphne Elliott is averaging 7.7 points and has racked up a team-high 40 steals while Alyssa Englert runs the point and is averaging 4.2 points and a team-high 3.1 assists.

This meeting marks the 62nd meeting between Hartford and Maine as the Black Bears hold the all-time series lead at 37-24. There are only two other teams all-time that Maine has played more games against than Hartford. Maine and Hartford first met on Jan. 13, 1986, a game won 71-53 by the Black Bears. Maine won the first 15 meetings with the Hawks but have most recently lost its last 16 against Hartford with the last Black Bear win coming on Feb. 19, 2005 at Hartford when Maine defeated Hartford by a score of 56-51.

The Black Bears will be collecting money for its Play4Kay initiative through its home game on Feb. 20 against Vermont. To donate to this wonderful cause, please visit this link: Play4Kay

To watch the game LIVE on ESPN3, click here ESPN3

-U-M-