ORONO, Maine -- Adrianna Smith's putback layup with under three-seconds remaining lifted Maine to a 60-59 victory over UAlbany on Thursday evening in Orono. The victory moved Maine to 11-4 in America East play and into second in the league standings.

Smith finished the evening with 20 points, a career-high 12 assists, eight rebounds and three steals for her 54th career double-double and sixth in as many outings. The 54 double-doubles moved her into a tie with Vermont's Sheri Turnbull for the most double-doubles by an America East student-athlete since 1994. 

Smith led four Black Bears in double-figures as Asta Blauenfeldt added 13 points with three triples. Sarah Talon finished the night 5-of-7 from the floor for 12 points to go along with six rebounds while Lala Woods added 10 points and six boards.

The Black Bears won the turnover battle for the 14th time in their last 15 games while posting single-digit turnovers (6) for the third consecutive game and sixth in their last seven outings. 

Maine hit 25-of-60 from the floor with seven triples.

In a game which featured nine lead changes and three ties, the Black Bears ended the first quarter with back-to-back threes from Blauenfeldt and Olivia Alvarez to carry a five point lead into the second.

The sprint continued as Smith opened with consecutive buckets to extend Maine's run to 11-0 and its lead to nine, 21-12. The advantage was Maine's largest of the night.

A 7-0 run from the Great Danes trimmed the Maine advantage to a pair with just over a minute left in the half before Talon's driving layup gave the hosts a 34-30 edge at the break.

UAlbany's run extended to a 12-4 spurt as the Great Danes took their first lead of the game, 35-34, just 1:16 into the second half.

A 11-4 run followed by Maine as buckets from Woods and Talon, off an Alvarez steal, lifted the Maine lead back out to six midway through the third.

The lead would stand at six entering the fourth.

It would take 3:21 of game action in the final quarter before any team scored as Smith's fastbreak layup off a steal moved Maine's lead out to eight, 53-45. Talon's three, following a UAlbany basket, expanded the lead back out to nine.

The Great Danes responded with a 12-2 run as Delanie Hill's three with 11-seconds remaining put UAlbany on top, 59-58.

Following a timeout and a foul, the Black Bears inbounded the ball to Woods who found Smith near the low block. Smith would miss her first layup attempt but grab her own rebound and hit the second attempt to put Maine back on top, 60-59, with less than three seconds left. UAlbany's halfcourt three missed the mark as the Black Bears claimed their 11th conference win.

Maine closes out the regular season on Saturday when it hosts Binghamton on Senior Day at 1 p.m.

-UMaine-