Late comeback falls short for Women's Hoops at UMBC

Saturday, February 4

Baltimore, MD

1:00 PM

University of Maine

12-13, 5-5AE

University of Maryland Baltimore County

11-12, 6-4AE

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Maine	16	15	10	21	62
UMBC	16	16	18	16	66

Photo by: Peter Buehner

Late comeback falls short for Women's Hoops at UMBC

2/4/2017 3:57:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Laia Sole leads Maine with 15 points

BALTIMORE, Md. -- The University of Maine women's basketball team, which trailed at UMBC by as many as 10, climbed back to take a late lead but could not hold on as the Retrievers escaped with a 66-62 victory on Saturday afternoon at RAC Arena.

The win snapped Maine's seven game winning streak in the series and drops the Black Bears to 2-11 on the road and 1-5 in road conference match-ups. Maine finished 1-for-7 from the free throw line and shot 38.8-percent (26-for-67) from the floor. Maine, which finished with nine 3-pointers, has now hit 7+ field goals from beyond the arc and each of its last eight meetings with UMBC. Maine's 67 attempts from the floor was a new season-high.

Laia Sole led the Black Bears with 15 points, on 7-for-12 shooting, to go along with four rebounds and three assists. Anita Kelava netted 10 points to match a career-high while Sigi Koizar added nine points, four rebounds and four steals.

A total of 12 lead changes and six ties made up the action, with 10 of the lead changes coming in the first half.

Both teams were slow out of the gate. With the game tied at 6-6 over five minutes in, UMBC rattled off an 8-2 run to take a six point edge. The Black Bears battled back, ending the quarter strong as Millan's layup tied the game at 16-all.

Caceres' 3-pointer in the early minutes of the second quarter gave Maine a one point lead, its first since the 6:19 mark of the first. Four lead changes would follow over the next minute and a half of action before a 5-0 run, capped on a triple by Sutton, gave Maine its largest lead of the game, 26-22.

UMBC fought back to take a one point lead in the waning minutes of the first half before Sheraton Jones' offensive rebound ended with a 3-point from Sole, putting the Black Bears up 31-29.

Allison McGrath answered with a triple of her own, sending UMBC into the half with a 32-31 advantage.

UMBC, which outscored Maine 18-10 in the third quarter, tallied seven points off five Maine turnovers to help it carry a 50-41 lead into the fourth.

Maine continued to battle as it began to heat up from outside. The Black Bears clawed their way back into the game with a 5-for-12 showing from 3-point range in the fourth quarter.

Trailing by 10, the Black Bears put together a 16-4 run to retake a one point lead. With the UMBC lead at seven, Brosseau and Koizar knocked down back-to-back triples, cutting the lead to one. Maine was able to get a stop on the opposite end as Sheraton Jones pulled down the board before burying a 3-pointer, just the second of her career, to give Maine a 62-60 lead.

However, UMBC would close the game on a 6-0 run to escape with a 66-60 lead. But it did not come without some controversy. A made 3-pointer from Brosseau, which would've regained the lead by the Black Bears was waived off when it was determined the ball bounced off the rim and hit the shot clock before going through.

Maine continues action on Monday with a trip to Hartford. Tip for the America East showdown is set for 7 p.m.

-UMaine-