2 min read

The University of Maine men’s and women’s basketball teams were both picked to finish second in the America East Conference preseason coaches poll Monday.

The men’s team finished tied for second with Albany with 47 points and received one first-place vote. Vermont, which lost to Maine 57-42 in the conference tournament semifinal last season, finished first in the voting with 63 points and seven first-place votes.

Last season the Black Bears reached the America East final for the first time in 20 years, losing to Bryant. They went 20-14 overall and 10-6 in the conference.

Ace Flagg claps during the Cooper and Ace Flagg Basketball ProCamp earlier this year in Orono. Flagg is a freshman on the men’s Maine’s basketball team, which was picked to finish tied for second in America East. (Anna Chadwick/Staff Photographer)

The Black Bears’ roster includes Ace Flagg of Newport, the twin brother of Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg. Together they helped Nokomis win the Class A state championship as freshmen in 2022.

The Maine women received two first-place votes and finished with 55 points, behind Vermont, which received 63 points and seven first-place votes.

University of Maine forward Adrianna Smith, who missed all last season with an injury, was named to the America East preseason all-conference team Monday. (Rich Abrahamson/Staff Photographer)

Maine forward Adrianna Smith was named to the preseason all-conference team. Smith was named the conference player of the year in 2023 and has been named a first-team all-conference selection twice. She missed all of last season after suffering a knee injury during a preseason practice.

The Black Bears, who went 15-16 overall and 9-7 in the conference last season, return two starters: Asta Blauenfeldt as well as Sarah Talon of Windham. Blauenfeldt started 31 games last season, averaging 9.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Talon played 29 games, starting 11. She averaged 5.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists.