University of Maine
UMBC
Smith's Double-Double Not Enough, Maine Falls at UMBC 56-49
2/5/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BALTIMORE, Md. -- Amber Smith's (Ipswich, Mass.) first career double-double of 12 points and a career high 11 rebounds would not be enough as the Black Bears fell to UMBC on Saturday afternoon, 57-49. The loss drops Maine back to 3-20 and 1-10 in America East play while the Retrievers improve to 14-10 and 8-3 in league play.
Smith was named the America East Player of the Game for Maine. Ashleigh Roberts (Wilmington, Del.) and Corinne Wellington (Rochester, N.Y.) also tallied double-digit points with 12 and 10, respectively.
Erin Brown was named the Retrievers America East Player of the Game as she notched 26 points and 11 rebounds on 8-for-17 shooting. Michelle Kurowski added 15 points for UMBC while Tope Obajolu chipped in with 12 points.
UMBC would open the game on an extended 7-0 run over the first six minutes, with Erin Brown scoring five points in a row, before Roberts would get Maine on the board with a pair of free throws. Maine would close within three as Roberts knocked down an trey from the extended elbow before Tanna Ross (Newburgh, Maine) hit a deep jumper just inside the arc to pull Maine within three with 12 minutes to play in the first half.
The Retrievers would go on a 4-0 run on a pair of layups by Tope Obajolu, extending their lead to 10 at 23-13 before Maine would fight back to keep things close. Roberts would knock down a pair of free throws and after a defensive stand by the Black Bears, Smith would hit a nice jumper in the lane to bring Maine back within six with 3:54 to play in the opening half.
The teams would trade baskets the rest of the way before UMBC gained a six point lead after a three by Chelsea Barker, sending the game into the half with Maine trailing 26-21.
Roberts led the way for Maine in the first half with nine points, including a perfect 4-for-4 mark from the free throw line, and six rebounds. The Black Bears' bench was big in the first half, scoring 10 of Maine's 21 first half points. The Retrievers were led by Brown's 12 points and Obajolu's 11 first half tallies.
UMBC would open the half with some hot shooting from deep range from Brown and Michelle Kurowski but the Black Bears would match the baskets as Wellington was impressive with back-to-back up and under post moves to keep Maine within six. Wellington would then draw a foul after pulling down an offensive board. The sophomore would hit both her free throws to bring Maine within four, 35-31, with 15:51 remaining in the second half.
Maine would close within three when Wellington worked her way wide open in the lane. Smith would hit her with a pass from the top of the key and Wellington would lay it in to make it a one possession game, 44-41.
After Kurowski hit a three with 3:40 to play, Samantha Baranowski (Stanhope, N.J.) would force a steal on the Maine end, drawing a foul in the process and hitting both ends of the 1-and-1 to bring Maine within two, 49-47.
Obajolu would grab a big defensive board for UMBC with 41.1 seconds left and draw the foul. Obajolu would hit one of two, extending the Retriever lead to 50-47. The Black Bears would make UMBC earn it at the foul line as Brown would knock down a pair of free throws. Maine would work an in-bounds play with 14.5 seconds left as Ross hit the shot and was fouled. However, Ross would miss the free throw and Brown would grab the board. Brown would knock down four free throws in a row to end the game as the Retrievers defeated Maine, 56-49.
With 7:30 remaining in the first half, the Black Bears trailed 23-13. Maine would then start a strong stretch as they outscored UMBC 34-26 until there were just 2:30 remaining in the contest. At that same point, Maine was down in the rebounds column 10-8 but out-rebounded UMBC 34-23 the rest of the way.
The Black Bears return to action on Tuesday, Feb. 8 when they host Hartford at 7 p.m. from Alfond Arena.
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