The America East Champion Maine Black Bears found out their destination and next opponent on Sunday night during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Selection Show.
Maine (24-9) got a #15 seed is headed to Columbus, Ohio to take on #2 seeded Ohio State out of the Big 10 Conference in the first round at 12 p.m. on Friday. The Black Bears, who went 14-2 in America East to grab the #1 seed for their conference tournament, are dancing for the first time since 2019 by defeating Vermont in the conference championship game this past Friday 64-48 inside the Pit at Memorial Gymnasium. Ohio State (25-5, 16-2 Big 10 regular season) was also the top seed in their conference tournament, before being upset 82-61 by Maryland in the quarterfinals. The Buckeyes who are #7 in the country, are in the NCAA Tournament for a 27th time and this is their third straight appearance. They reached the Sweet 16 last season, and the Elite 8 in 2022. For the Black Bears it is their 10th time in the dance, losing to North Carolina State in the first round of their last regional game in 2019 by a score of 63-51. The lone win by Maine was in 1999 as a 10 seed when they took down #7 Stanford 60-58, a Black Bears team that current head coach Amy Vachon played on. They would fall that season in the second round 62-52 to Old Dominion. Overall they are 1-10 in 11 NCAA Tournament games all-time.
Written/Photo by Chris Lessner
