Troy, N.Y. -- In a game which featured 12 lead changes and eight ties, the Black Bears came up short as they fell in the America East semifinal round to UAlbany by a final of 72-64. The loss ends Maine's season at 16-14 overall.
Anne Simon led the Black Bears with 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting to go along with four rebounds and a pair of assists. Simon ends her season 11th on Maine's all-time scoring list with 1,357 career points.
Adrianna Smith chipped in 19 points and a game-high eight rebounds as the sophomore posted her 21st consecutive double-digit scoring performance.
Both team's posted impressive shooting performances as the Great Danes finished the afternoon 29-for-47 (61.7) from the floor while Maine went 26-of-56 (46.4) while hitting six triples and converting 6-of-8 free throws. Maine turned it over just six times, its lowest total of the season.
Eight of the game's 12 lead changes came in the first quarter as UAlbany was able to take the largest lead of the period, 12-9, on a layup from Helene Haegerstrand.
Maine used a 6-2 run to snatch its largest lead of the opening half, 22-18. Simon moved into double-figures for the 72nd time in her career with a pull-up in the paint. Following a UAlbany bucket to tie the score, Simon again struck with a bucket. Abbe Laurence put Maine up by four as she worked off a Simon to net a bucket in the paint.
UAlbany's largest lead of the half would be five as the Great Danes ended the second quarter on a 5-0 run. A triple from the corner by Fatima Lee at the buzzer sent UAlbany into the break with a 36-31 edge.
The UAlbany run became a 10-0 run as the Great Danes scored the first five of the third quarter to build their lead out to 10 early in the period.
Maine began its comeback late in the third quarter as its staged a 10-4 run to chip into the deficit. Simon jump started the sprint with a triple, moving her to 21 points for her 17th career 20-plus point scoring performance. Maine kept charging as another triple, this one from Olivia Rockwood, cut the lead to four.
After UAlbany extended the lead back out to eight, the Black Bears responded with an 8-0 run to knot the score. Sera Hodgson's triple from the elbow extended began the run before Rockwood's three brought Maine back to within a pair. Smith's turnaround jumper tied the game at 57-57 with 6:15 remaining.
However, the Black Bears were never able to get over the edge to take the lead.
Maine would tie the score one last time before the Great Danes closed out the game on a 13-5 run to take the semifinal victory by a final of 72-64.
-UMaine-
