BALTIMORE - Despite a furious late-game comeback attempt, the UMBC women's basketball team dropped a tightly contested America East contest to Maine, 56-55, on Thursday evening inside Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena.

Maine built its second 13-point lead of the game in the fourth quarter, jumping ahead 50-37 with 5:57 remaining, but the Retrievers ripped off a 10-0 run, making it a one-possession game. Tiara Bellamy scored the first six points of the run before back-to-back buckets from Delaney Yarborough. A three-point play from Jade Tillman with 2:52 left pulled UMBC within two for the first time since the game was tied 15-15 in the second quarter. 

Adrianna Smith would score for the Black Bears, followed by a pair of Kennedy Austin free throws, once again making it a two-point game with 33 seconds left. The Retrievers played it out, eventually fouling Sarah Talon on a jumper with two seconds left. Talon would knock down the free throws and Tillman would hit a three-pointer before the buzzer sounded, leaving the Retrievers just a point shy of the completed comeback effort. 

Bellamy, Tillman, Austin, and Heidi Williams each scored 12 points in the contest for UMBC. Tillman added 13 rebounds, giving her four double-doubles on the season and 16 straight games with 10 or more points. For Austin, it was her first game in double figures since a 12-point effort against NJIT on January 1. Williams now has six games of 12 or more points in America East play, and Bellamy reached double figures for the second time in three games. Smith finished with 25 points and 13 rebounds for the Black Bears.

Maine used an 11-0 first-quarter run to jump out to an 11-4 lead with 3:29 left in the opening period, but the Retrievers held the Black Bears scoreless for more than four minutes, pulling in within one, 11-10, at the 9:43 mark of the second quarter. The Retrievers would tie the contest at 15 with 5:14 to play, but Maine would score the next eight points to pull ahead 23-15. A late jumper from Tiara Bellamy would ultimately pull UMBC within five at the half. 

UMBC returns to action on Saturday afternoon against New Hampshire at 1 p.m. Click the link HERE and use the code LOVE26 to purchase two tickets for $14! The first 500 in attendance will also receive a pink UMBC basketball jersey!