TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Maine coach Joanne Palombo-McCallie said she wasn’t thinking of tonight’s game against Alabama as a rematch from last season.

“In reality, it’s a different Alabama team, although a very talented Alabama team,” said Palombo, who directed the Black Bears to an upset win over nationally-ranked Alabama last January in Orono.

Maine advanced to the championship game of the Sheraton Capstone Inn Classic with a 72-55 win over North Carolina-Charlotte Friday night in Coleman Coliseum.

Alabama, No. 25 in the latest Associated Press poll, opened the tournament with an 87-58 win over Central Florida.

UNCC (0-1) meets Central Florida (0-1) in the consolation game at 5 this afternoon. The championship game between Alabama (1-0) and the Black Bears (2-1) is scheduled for 7.

Sophomore guard Cindy Blodgett led Maine with 26 points. She also collected collected seven rebounds and dished out six assists.

Maine also got 14 points and 12 rebounds from center Stacey Porrini. Trisha Ripton added 11 points.

Maine led 35-28 at halftime and shot 62.5 percent in the second half. The 49ers wound up shooting 35.4 percent for the game.

“I was very proud of our defensive effort,” said Palombo. “I was very proud of the decisions offensively with our ball movement.”

“At this time of the year, we need to be growing and being better as a team,” she added.

Palombo was not pleased with her team’s free throw shooting of 8 of 23.

“I don’t know of any time we ever shot free throws so poorly,” Palombo said. “But that’s something that can be rectified.”

Maine took the lead for good as Blodgett’s layup broke an 18-18 tie with 8:14 left in the first half.

UNCC cut the lead to five points twice in the second half but the 49ers never got closer as Maine answered on both occasions with baskets by Porrini.

Porrini’s free throw with 3:59 left gave Maine its biggest lead at 69-47.

Charlotte Hargrove led the 49ers with 21 points and seven rebounds. Lisa Gerton added 20 points.

Maine finished with a 48-36 rebounding margin.

“We’ve got a club that likes to play together,” Palombo said. “Our players understand that we have one of the premier guards in the country. And we certainly have some other young ladies around here that know how to play the game.”

Alabama, which featured All-SEC performers Nisa Johnson at guard and Yolanda Watkins at center, was 10-1 when it made the trip to Maine last season.

Black Bears 72, 49ers 55

UNC-Charlotte Maine

Name G AG F AF TP Name G AG F AF TP

Bey 1 1 0 0 2 Gallant 4 8 0 2 8

Aldridge 2 9 0 0 4 Porrini 6 12 2 8 14

Hargrove 9 14 3 6 21 Blodgett 11 21 3 5 26

Gerton 5 11 0 0 12 Ripton 4 4 0 0 11

Poston 0 1 0 0 0 Rustad 1 4 2 2 4

Brown 0 1 0 0 0 Bowman 0 0 0 0 0

Richardson 2 3 0 0 5 Carver 2 5 1 2 5

Cairnes 1 4 2 2 4 Clark 1 2 0 0 2

Stecina 1 6 0 0 2 Danes 1 4 0 4 2

Cacciolz 0 0 0 0 0 DeShong 0 0 0 0 0

Jules 0 0 0 0 0 Stubbs 0 1 0 0 0

Presley 0 0 0 0 0

Mackay 1 6 1 1 3

Palmer 1 8 0 0 2

Totals 23 65 6 9 55 Totals 30 61 8 23 72

UNC-Charlotte (0-1) 28 55

Maine (2-1) 35 72

3-pt. goals: UNC-Charlotte: 3-10 – Aldridge 0-1, Gerton 2-5, Poston 0-1, Richardson 1-1, Cairnes 0-1, Palmer 0-1; Maine: 4-9 – Blodgett 1-4, Ripton 3-3, Rustad 0-2