Fifth-year senior forward Adrianna Smith poured in a game-high 25 points to go with nine rebounds, seven assists and three steals and senior guard Asta Blauenfeldt hit a pair of important 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter as the University of Maine women’s basketball team beat Albany 65-60 at the Broadview Center in Albany, New York, Thursday night.
UMaine had lost its last five meetings at the Broadview Center including a 49-41 loss to the Great Danes in the America East semifinals last season. UMaine hadn’t won at Albany since Feb. 23, 2022.
UMaine improved to 10-10 overall and 5-2 in America East while the Great Danes fell to 11-8 and 1-5, respectively. It was just Albany’s second home loss in nine games.
The Black Bears shot 53.8 percent beyond the 3-point arc including a 6-for-7 showing in the second half. Albany, which entered the contest shooting a league-best 37.2 percent from long distance, went 1-for-9 from beyond the arc and missed all four of its threes in the second half.
The teams were tied at 48 after three quarters before Blauenfeldt hit a three off a Smith pass to open the scoring in the fourth quarter and provide the Black Bears with a lead they would never relinquish.
Following a layup by Albany’s Gabriela Falcao, Smith scored from inside and Blauenfeldt hit another three, this off an Olivia Alvarez feed, to expand the lead to 56-50.
Two baskets by Smith following an Amaya Steward layup for Albany grew the lead to 60-52 with 3:45 remaining.
Layups by Stewart and Martina Borrellas cut UMaine’s lead to 60-56 with 2:25 to go but Blauenfeldt made a pivotal steal with 1:26 left and Sarah Talon hit a layup off a Smith pass to make it 62-56 with 59 seconds remaining.
Stewart’s jump shot off a Delanie Hill pass pulled Albany within four eight seconds later but Smith’s layup with 24 seconds left sewed up the win.
Blauenfeldt finished with 12 points, three rebounds, three steals and two assists and senior guard Talon produced 11 points and three rebounds. Freshman guard Lala Woods scored nine points on three 3-pointers and freshman guard Olivia Alvarez had an impressive all-around game with eight points, five steals, five assists and three rebounds.
Freshman guard Stewart had a team-high 20 points to go with four rebounds for the hosts. Borrellas had 15 points, nine rebounds and three assists and fellow sophomore guard Hill wound up with eight points, three assists and two rebounds. Junior guard Lara Langermann contributed seven points, two assists and two rebounds.
UMaine shot 47.3 percent from the floor compared to Albany’s 48 percent but the Black Bears had a big edge in points off turnovers at 19-3. They forced 16 turnovers while committing 10 themselves.
Both teams will return to action on Saturday at 2 p.m. when UMaine visits Vestal, New York, to take on Binghamton while Albany will entertain New Hampshire.