Women’s Basketball
MAINE vs. PROVIDENCE
Time, site: 2 p.m. Thursday, Alumni Hall, Providence, Rhode Island
Records: UMaine 0-0, Providence 3-3
Series, last meeting: Providence leads 6-0, PC 85-69 on 12/29/88
Key players: Maine (last year’s stats) — 6-1 G Blanca Millan (18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 steals per game), 5-8 G Anne Simon (13 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.9 assists, 1.6 spg), 5-6 G Dor Saar (12.2 ppg, 4.9 apg), 5-9 G Kelly Fogarty (7.1 ppg), 6-2 F Abbe Laurence (1.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg), 5-7 G Alba Orois (1st season); Providence (this year’s stats) — 6-3 F Mary Baskerville (14 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.2 blocks), 5-9 G Kyra Spiwak (12.5 ppg), 6-4 F Alyssa Geary (9.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.5 apg), 5-4 G Chantel (7.5 ppg, 2.3 apg), 5-10 G Olivia Orlando (3 ppg, 6.5 rpg), 4-11 G Grace Efosa-Aguebor (3.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
Game notes: The Black Bears take a 10-game winning streak into their opener. They will be without their top two inside players in second team All-America East selection Maeve Carroll and Fanny Wadling, who missed all of last season with a concussion. A knee injury that required surgery limited 2019 AE Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year Millan to six games last season. The Black Bears are at a significant size disadvantage against the Friars so they will have to try to force a fast tempo, create turnovers and shoot well from the perimeter. UMaine must box out and receive productive minutes from its bench. Providence has turned the ball over 16.5 times per game so far this season.