Smithfield, R.I. -- Laura Lacmbra made a putback of her own miss with 2.3 seconds left to give the UMBC Women's Basketball team a wild 64-63 win at Bryant on Saturday afternoon.
The Retrievers complete a perfect two-game road trip to open America East play, winning their fourth straight and improving to 6-8.
Trinity Palacio paced UMBC with 17 points, a season-high seven boards, three assists and tied a career-high with two blocks, while
Jaliena Sanchez added 14 points in limited action due to fould trouble.
Lacambra and
Jaden Walker each grabbed eight boards to lead the Retrievers.
UMBC jumped out to a 17-6 lead just over seven minutes into the contest. Bryant cut the lead to 19-11 after the first and extended the run all the way to 14-0 to take a 22-19 lead four minutes into the second.
Paloma Iradier would hit a three to end the run and tie the game as the teams would trade baskets the rest of the way until Rhode Island native
Grace Ceseretti hit a tie-breaking three late in the quarter to send the Retrievers into the half up 34-31
Palacio opened the second half with back-to-back threes to give UMBC a nine-point advantage. The lead would get to 11, at 50-39, on a
Jordon Lewis jumper with just over three minutes to go in the third, but the Bulldogs would score the final eight points of the frame to trim the deficit to two heading into the final stanza.
The Bryant run would get to be 13-0 as they took a 52-50 lead early in the fourth, but Sanchez would hit a pair of free throws and Walker would convert a layup to give the Retrievers a 54-52 lead with seven minutes left. The teams would trade the lead until Palacio hit two free throws and Lacambra converted a fastbreak layup to make it 59-58 UMBC with 3:53 to go.
Sanchez would hit three free throws over the next minute to give the guests a 62-58 lead with 2:11 left. The bulldogs would hit a three 30 seconds later and then would take the lead on a layup with 12 seconds left.
The Retrievers would miss a shot with eight seconds left but would get the offensive board. After a timeout, Palacio drove the baseline and found a cutting Lacambra open in the paint, the sophomore missed the first chance, but easily get the rebound and follow-up to give UMBC the late lead. Bryant couldn't get a shot off in time to give the Retrievers the win.
UMBC returns home to host defending America East champion Vermont on Thursday at 11 a.m. for Midday Madness. The Retrievers then welcome UMass Lowell to The Peake on Saturday at 1 p.m.
