LOWELL, Mass. — UMass Lowell (6-8, 0-1 AE) opened America East play with a strong effort before Maine (6-8, 1-0 AE) pulled away late in a 73–65 decision Thursday night at the Kennedy Family Athletic Complex.
“We played really well for about three and a half quarters against a very good Maine team,” commented head coach Jon Plefka. “In this league, it’s about sustaining that level of effort for a full 40 minutes.”
The River Hawks set the tone early, shooting 60 percent in the opening quarter and building a nine-point lead by the end of the first. Junior guard Maddie Rice (Charlottesville, Va.) sparked the start, scoring 10 points in the opening frame as Lowell took a 22–16 advantage.
Lowell maintained control through the second quarter, extending the margin to as many as seven before heading into halftime with a 39–32 lead. The River Hawks shot 72.7 percent in the period and continued to find success in the paint, closing the half with a pair of late baskets to keep momentum.
The third quarter saw Lowell push the lead to its largest of the night at 11 following baskets from senior guard Sabrina Larsson (Uppsala, Sweden) and graduate forward Anabel Latorre Ciria (Zaragoza, Spain) early in the period. Maine responded with a sustained run behind Adrianna Smith, trimming the margin, but Lowell answered down the stretch to carry a 53–49 advantage into the fourth.
Maine opened the final quarter with increased defensive pressure and chipped away possession by possession. The game was tied at 59 midway through the fourth before the Black Bears took the lead for good on consecutive three-pointers with just over two minutes remaining. Maine closed the game at the free-throw line to seal the win.
Rice led UMass Lowell with 20 points, marking her third straight game with 20 or more. Senior guard Jaini Edmonds (Worcester, Mass.) added 16 points and four assists, while junior guard Paris Gilmore (Youngstown, Ohio) finished with 11 points. Lowell shot 53.6 percent from the field but was limited to three three-pointers and just three free-throw attempts on the night.
The River Hawks will look to bounce back as conference play continues, hitting the road against UAlbany on Saturday afternoon.
