University of Maine
UMBC
Second Half Comeback Falls Short for Women's Basketball at UMBC
1/5/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BALTIMORE, Md. -- Despite a strong second half comeback effort, the University of Maine women's basketball team (1-13, 0-1 America East) dropped its America East opener to UMBC (5-10, 1-1 AE) by a score of 54-50 on Saturday afternoon at RAC Arena. Courtney Anderson (Greene, Maine) was named Maine's America East Player of the Game after recording a career-high 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting including a trio of three-pointers. Corinne Wellington (Rochester, N.Y.) added six points with a career-high 15 rebounds.
Bria White led the Retriever charge with 15 points, earning her UMBC's America East Player of the Game honor. Brittany Crowell (12) and Raven Harris (10) each also tallied double-figures for the Retrievers.
Maine shot 30.2% from the field while outrebounding UMBC 48-37, matching its highest rebound total in a game thus far.
The Black Bears struggled from the field in the opening half as they shot just 14.8% (4-for-27) as a team, including going 0-for-11 from three-point range, but were strong on the boards as they outrebounded the Retrievers by a 27-20 margin.
UMBC took its biggest lead of the half at 22-9 with 6:17 to play in the opening half after completing a 14-4 run, including a pair of three-point shots from Brittany Crowell. Maine's defense stepped up in the final six minutes as the Retrievers would not score again in the half.
Ashleigh Roberts (Wilmington, Del.) brought the Black Bears back within 11 as her dribble drive around the left edge ended in a bucket with 3:39 left in the first half. Neither team would score for the remainder of the half as the Retrievers took a 22-11 lead into the break.
Roberts led Maine in the first half with eight points and six rebounds while Wellington added six rebounds.
Maine opened the first eight minutes of the second half by going on a 15-3 run to knot the game at 30-30. The Black Bear run began with a foul line jumper from Danielle Walczak (Lee, N.H.) before Wellington pulled down and offensive board and went back up strong, drawing a foul and making a pair of free throws. A fast break layup from Anderson followed before the sophomore guard knocked down a three from the right wing to bring Maine within four. Following a UMBC make, Maine worked from its own baseline as a screen opened up Lauren Bodine (Louisville, Ky.) who knocked down a three from the top of the key. Maine's defense retained possession as the Black Bears raced back down the floor before Anderson's three tied the game with just over 12-minutes remaining in the second half.
UMBC answered with a 10-3 run to take a 40-33 lead before the Black Bears retailliated with an 8-2 run to close the gap to one on back-to-back makes from Chantel Charles (London, England) followed by four points from Anderson.
The Retrievers reponded by extending its lead to 50-43 with 55.4 seconds to play after an 8-2 run.
Maine did not give up as a late 5-0 Black Bear run, on a jumper from Charles and a three from Bodine, brought Maine back within two at 50-48 with 4.8 seconds to play. However, UMBC knocked down its late free throws to seal the win, 54-50.
The Black Bears continue America East action when they return home for the conference home opener on Jan. 9 at 7:30 PM against Hartford.
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