Bangor, Maine -- Tanesha Sutton tossed in 19 points to help lead the University of Maine women's basketball team to a 70-65 victory over UMass Lowell on Wednesday evening at the Cross Insurance Center. The win moves Maine to 11-3 in America East play and 10-0 all-time against the River Hawks.

Sutton nearly tallied her fifth double-double of the season after adding nine rebounds to her 19 point total and was extremely efficient from the floor, shooting 7-for-9 while hitting 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. Blanca Millan, the America East leader in steals, recorded a career-high nine takeaways; just one shy of tying Maine's all-time single game record of 10 set by Julie Bradstreet in 1992. The steals total was also the most recorded by an America East player since Boston University's Adrienne Norris tallied 10 in 2004. Millan also added 14 points, finishing in double-figures for the 26th consecutive game. Parise Rossignol missed her career-high point total by just one after adding 13 points and three rebounds off the bench.

For the seventh time this season, the Black Bears (18-9, 11-3) forced 20 or more turnovers and matched a season-high with 16 steals. The Black Bears went 27-of-66 from the floor (40.9) and hit 12-of-14 free throws (85.7). In its last two outings, Maine has improved on its free throw mark, hitting 26 of its last 30 attempts.

Despite the 20 turnovers, UMass Lowell (4-22, 1-12) was able to hang with the Black Bears thanks to an impressive 51.1-percent shooting night. Brianna Rudolph led all scorers with 21 points for the River Hawks.

Maine held the edge in rebounding, 35-31, to move to 14-2 this season when holding the advantage in rebounding totals.

It was another night in which Maine was able to get off to a hot start. The Black Bears came out and scored the first seven points of the contest before extending their lead to double-digits on a triple from Dor Saar and a jumper by Julie Brosseau just 6:05 into the game.

UMass Lowell cut the lead back down to three thanks to a 10-3 run in the closing minutes of the first quarter.

Leading by four midway through the second period, Maine took charge. Saar found Rossignol and Millan for back-to-back buckets which sparked a 10-0 Black Bears run. A layup from Sutton and two free throws by Rossignol closed the sprint to give Maine its largest lead of the game, 35-21.

However, the River Hawks would close the half strong. UMass Lowell answered the Maine run with a 10-0 jaunt of its own, sending the game into the break with Maine's lead down to four, 35-31.

UMass Lowell continued to chip away, opening the second half on a 6-2 run to force the game's first tie, 37-37.

Maine's offense got back to business shortly after. Brosseau had the answer when Sutton found her for a trey to put Maine back on top by three. An 8-0 run by the Black Bears ensued, extending the lead back out to 11 with 2:46 left in the third.

There was no quit in the River Hawks. With Maine leading by nine with 2:48 to play, the River Hawks put together a 6-0 to cut the deficit down to three.

The Black Bears were able to settle, going on a 5-0 run out of a timeout to stretch the lead back out to eight. Ultimately, the Black Bears would hit key free throws down the stretch before capturing the America East contest by a 70-65 final.

Maine is back in action on February 22 when it travels to Vermont for its final regular season road game of the season. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. against the Catamounts.

-UMaine-