University of Maine senior guard Sigi Koizar scored her 1,600th career point against the University of Albany on Saturday, but it would not be enough to gain her team a victory.
The Black Bears fought back hard from a nine-point halftime deficit, but could not score over the game’s final 3 minutes, 17 seconds as the host Great Danes held on for a 64-60 America East victory at SEFCU Arena.
Albany improves to 16-11 overall and 10-4 in America East while the Black Bears fall to 15-15 and 8-7, respectively.
Despite struggling in the first half as the Great Danes raced out to the lead, UMaine steadily chipped away over the course of the second half.
The Black Bears made it a two-point game with 3:17 remaining on a Tanesha Sutton 3-pointer, but UMaine would not score again in spite of holding the Great Danes without a field goal over the last 3:47.
Albany’s Jessica Fequiere hit two free throws with 10 seconds remaining to ice it.
Koizar led UMaine with a game-high 25 points while Julie Brosseau scored 14.
Albany featured a balanced offensive effort as four Great Danes scored in double figures. They were paced by Bailey Hixson’s 15 points while Naples native Tiana Jo-Carter scored 11 and grabbed six rebounds.
Fequiere and Heather Forster added 10 points each for Albany.
The Great Danes came out of the gates roaring as they blitzed the Black Bears in the first quarter en route to an eight-point lead after the first 10 minutes.
The cold-shooting Black Bears ended the first half on a 1-for-8 shooting slide and went more than three minutes without a field goal late in the second quarter as Albany took a 35-26 lead into halftime.
UMaine shot a dismal 10-for-29 from the field and 3-for-12 from 3-point range in the opening half went 23-for-62 and 10-for-26, respectively, for the game.
The Black Bears are off until Feb. 26 when they play their regular-season finale against Binghamton at home.
