BANGOR, Maine – UMBC women's basketball's senior guard Capree Garner (Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook) registered a season-best 25 points, while junior forward Pandora Wilson (Gaithersburg, Md./Academy of Holy Cross) chipped in 11 points and nine rebounds in Saturday's America East contest at Cross Insurance Center, but it was not enough to bring UMBC back from a 14-point fourth quarter deficit as Maine held off the Retrievers for a 65-55 victory.  

UMBC went to the free throw line for a chance to pull within four points with 2:30 to go in the contest, but a pair of missed shots from the charity stripe held the Retrievers' deficit at six points and from there the Dawgs were unable to get the stops they needed come any closer, allowing Maine to hang on for the victory. Garner had six of the Retrievers' seven points in the 7-0 run that brought UMBC within six, 55-49, with 2:42 to go in the contest.

Junior guard Taylor McCarley (Bowie, Md./Academy of Holy Cross) added 11 points and a game-high five steals for the Retrievers. The Black Bears were led by 16 points and eight rebounds from senior forward Bella Swan. Senior guard Lauren Bodine chipped in 12 points off the bench, while senior forward Liz Wood added 10 points and a game-high 15 rebounds in the win.

Maine improves to 11-6 on the season and 2-0 in league play, while the Retrievers drop to 10-6 overall and 1-2 in America East action.

Garner connected on her first three shots, for six straight points to put the Retrievers out in front, 9-4, 3:48 into the contest. With Maine hitting two of its first 12 shots, Garner added her fourth straight bucket, followed by a pair of free throws from McCarley to extend the Retrievers' advantage to 13-4. Maine's junior guard Sigi Koizar drilled her next two shots from beyond the arc for six of her 11 points to pull the Black Bears within three, 13-10, at the end of the opening quarter.

Maine's shooting struggles continued into the early part of the second quarter, but the Black Bears crashed the offensive boards, pulling down four offensive rebounds to stay within striking distance. Swan helped to ignite a 14-2 Black Bear run over the final 4:56 of the half with seven straight points to put Maine out in front, 26-20, at the break.

A Garner layup to start the second half brought UMBC back within four, but Maine knocked down its first three shots, including two from beyond the arc from senior guard Sophie Weckstrom to open up a 10-point advantage, 34-24. A McCarley layup and free throw from sophomore guard Laura Castaldo (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South) brought UMBC back within six, 35-29, with 5:31 to go in the third quarter.

Maine finished the third shooting 53.8 percent from the field, including 66.7 percent from long range, to take a 47-35 lead with one quarter play. Mikaela Gustafsson opened the fourth quarter with a jumper for the Black Bears to mark Maine's largest lead of the day at 14 points, 49-35. The Retrievers' final push came in the form of a 7-0 run over a 1:43 span, beginning with a Garner layup with 4:25 remaining.

The Black Bears pulled down 18 offensive rebounds in the game, but the Retrievers held them to 10 second chance points. UMBC lost the turnover battle, 13-12, but Maine recorded 19 points off of turnovers to UMBC's 12.

On the Horizon for the Retrievers

-UMBC returns home for its annual Midday Madness contest on Wednesday, Jan. 13 when the Retrievers take on Stony Brook in a nationally televised noon matchup at the RAC Arena.