
The Maine Black Bears are the athletic teams that represent the University of Maine, with the men's basketball team based in Orono, Maine. The basketball team competes in the America East Conference, which they joined in 1979. The Black Bears have a historic rivalry with the New Hampshire Wildcats, with the men's teams playing each other consecutively for 120 seasons as of 2024-2025. The team has had notable players such as Cindy Blodgett, who went on to play in the WNBA.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Team Name | Maine Black Bears |
| Sport | Basketball |
| University | University of Maine |
| Location | Orono, Maine, United States |
| Conference | America East Conference |
| Head Coach | Chris Markwood |
| Notable Players | Kellen Tynes, Rafael Pinzon, Quion Burns, Chris Walker, Justin Neely |
| Notable Games | Maine vs Vermont (2024), Maine vs UMass-Lowell (2024), Maine vs Bryant (2024), Maine vs New Hampshire (2024), Maine vs Binghamton (2024), Maine vs Albany (2024) |
| Rival | University of New Hampshire Wildcats |
| Multimedia Coverage | WVOM-FM, WVQM, WGUY, WVII-TV, Fox College Sports, NESN, CBS Sports Network, NBCSN Comcast SportsNet New England |
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What You'll Learn
- The Maine Black Bears men's basketball team represents the University of Maine
- The team currently competes in the America East Conference
- The team has never appeared in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
- The Black Bears have a long-standing rivalry with the New Hampshire Wildcats
- The team's games are broadcast on various TV and radio networks

The Maine Black Bears men's basketball team represents the University of Maine
The University of Maine sponsors teams in eight men's and nine women's NCAA-sanctioned sports. The Maine Black Bears men's basketball team has a long-standing rivalry with the New Hampshire Wildcats, which is the longest continuous basketball rivalry between any two non-Ivy League schools. The men's teams have played each other every season since 1904–1905, a streak of 120 seasons as of 2024–2025.
The Black Bears' home games are played at the Memorial Stadium, where they once played in front of a crowd of 77,469 fans, the largest in their history. The team has had some notable successes in recent years, including a win against Boston College of the Atlantic Coast Conference in the 2009–10 season and defeating the University of Massachusetts, 68-56, and Penn State, 74-64, in the 2010–11 season.
The current head coach of the Maine Black Bears men's basketball team is Chris Markwood, who took over in March 2022. The team's progress in recent years has been promising, and they continue to represent the University of Maine with pride and determination.
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The team currently competes in the America East Conference
The Maine Black Bears are the athletic teams that represent the University of Maine. The University of Maine sponsors teams in eight men's and nine women's NCAA-sanctioned sports. The Maine Black Bears men's basketball team represents the University of Maine in Orono, Maine, United States. The team currently competes in the America East Conference, which they joined in 1979, the year of its founding.
The Black Bears have a notable rivalry with the New Hampshire Wildcats, which is the longest continuous basketball rivalry between any two non-Ivy League schools. The men's teams have played each other consecutively for over a century, from 1904–1905 to the present day.
The Black Bears men's basketball team has shown improvement in recent years. In the 2009–10 season, the team finished second in the America East Conference with a 19–11 overall record. They recorded one of their biggest wins in recent memory with a 52–51 victory over Boston College of the Atlantic Coast Conference. In the 2010–11 season, they continued their strong performance by defeating the University of Massachusetts 68-56 and Penn State 74-64.
The team has qualified for the America East men's basketball tournament final on four occasions, most recently in 2025. While they have never won a championship, they have shown steady progress and a strong competitive spirit. The current head coach of the Black Bears men's basketball team is Chris Markwood, who took over the reins in March 2022.
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The team has never appeared in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
The Maine Black Bears are the athletic teams that represent the University of Maine. The men's basketball team has been a member of the America East Conference since its founding in 1979. Despite being one of 35 eligible Division I programs, the team has never appeared in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament in its 78 seasons.
The Black Bears have had some notable achievements in other sports. The baseball program has made 16 NCAA tournament appearances and won the AEC Tournament five times. The men's ice hockey team has won the Hockey East title five times, appeared in eleven Frozen Fours, and won two National Championships. The football team won its first CAA regular-season title in 2013.
The men's basketball team has shown some promise in recent years, finishing second in the America East Conference during the 2009-10 season with a 19-11 record. They recorded significant wins against Boston College and the University of Massachusetts during that period. The team has also made it to the America East men's basketball tournament final four times, most recently in 2025, but has never won the championship.
The University of Maine's basketball team has a long-standing rivalry with the New Hampshire Wildcats, which is the longest continuous basketball rivalry between any two non-Ivy League schools. The men's teams have played each other consecutively for over a century, with 120 seasons played as of 2024-25. Despite this intense rivalry, neither team has had much success in making it to the NCAA Division I tournament.
Although the Maine Black Bears men's basketball team has yet to break through to the NCAA Division I tournament, they have shown improvement and have the potential to make it in the future. With a passionate fan base and a rich history, the team continues to be a source of pride for the University of Maine and its supporters.
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The Black Bears have a long-standing rivalry with the New Hampshire Wildcats
The Maine Black Bears men's basketball team represents the University of Maine in Orono, Maine, and competes in the America East Conference. The Black Bears have a long-standing rivalry with the New Hampshire Wildcats, which is the longest continuous basketball rivalry between any two non-Ivy League schools. The men's teams have played each other consecutively for over a century, from 1904–1905 to the present season.
The rivalry between the two schools extends beyond basketball, as they are also members of CAA Football, a league operated by the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA). The football teams have met 114 times as of the 2022 season, with New Hampshire holding a 60–46–8 lead in the series. The winner of each game receives an antique fowling musket, named after former coaches of the two teams: Fred Brice (Maine) and Butch Cowell (New Hampshire). The tradition dates back to 1948 when the musket was first awarded to New Hampshire.
The rivalry has seen several notable moments, including a controversial finish in 1919 due to a disputed New Hampshire trick play in the final minute. In 1944, the teams met twice, with each winning on their home field, though New Hampshire's media guide does not include these results. The rivalry was briefly interrupted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with games resuming in 2021, where Maine defeated New Hampshire 33–20.
The Black Bears have had some success in recent years, finishing second in the America East Conference in the 2009–10 season with a 19–11 record. They also recorded notable wins over Boston College and the University of Massachusetts in the 2010–11 season. While the Black Bears have never appeared in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, they have made progress and reached the America East men's basketball tournament final four times.
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The team's games are broadcast on various TV and radio networks
The Maine Black Bears are the athletic teams representing the University of Maine. The men's basketball team plays in the America East Conference, which they joined in 1979.
The Black Bear Sports Network is the radio and television name for University of Maine sports. The radio affiliates broadcast men's basketball games, which can be heard on Bangor's flagship station, 92.9 The Ticket (WEZQ 92.9 FM). The games are also available on WVOM-FM and WVQM, with WGUY carrying men's basketball.
Historically, WABI-TV, Bangor's CBS affiliate, was the long-time television home for Black Bear sports, including men's basketball games. However, in 2013, WVII-TV and WFVX-LD, Bangor's ABC and Fox affiliates, became the new flagship television stations for the Black Bear Sports Network. As a result, Black Bear sports telecasts are now seen on Fox College Sports, with production handled by Pack Network. Select basketball games are also carried on ESPN Plus and America East TV and may be picked up by other Bangor-based television stations, including NESN and CBS Sports Network.
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Frequently asked questions
The University of Maine's Black Bears basketball teams play in the America East Conference.
The current head coach of the men's basketball team is Chris Markwood, who took over in March 2022. The women's team does not appear to have a head coach at present. The previous head coach, Cindy Blodgett, was released in March 2011.
The men's basketball team has never appeared in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. However, they have made the America East men's basketball tournament finals four times and finished second in the America East conference in the 2009-10 season. The women's team has won the America East Conference eight times, most recently in 2019.










































