ORONO – It is difficult to predict, in any give game, which players are going to lead the way offensively for the balanced University of Maine women’s basketball team.

Saturday afternoon’s final home game was another case in point.

With leading scorers Heather Ernest and Kizzy Lopez held in check, Ellen Geraghty and Julie Veilleux helped spark the Black Bears to a 61-51 America East victory over Northeastern with 2,601 looking on at Alfond Arena.

The speedy Geraghty connected for 15 points and Augusta native Veilleux scored 14 to help UMaine establish a second-half lead it would not relinquish.

Coach Sharon Versyp’s 12-14 Bears improved to 9-8 in conference play and can wrap up fourth place with a win Thursday in the season finale at Hartford.

Northeastern slipped to 12-14, 8-9 in America East.

“We struggled a little bit executing at the end of the game, but we actually pulled it off and stayed poised and did a lot of nice things,” Versyp said.

Sparked by sophomore Anna James and freshman Heather Ernest, UMaine played cohesive interior defense Saturday. The Bears limited the Huskies to 12 points in the paint.

Northeastern did knock down eight 3-pointers, including four by Melissa Kowalski, but shot 29 percent from the field.

“They have great shooters and we were able to shut them down a little bit more in the second half,” said Versyp, who pointed to the job Melissa Heon did limiting Kowalski to five second-half points.

Heon finished with eight points and five rebounds, while Ernest managed eight points and four rebounds in 26 minutes after first-half foul trouble. Tracy Guerrette provided seven points and seven assists, while senior co-captain Lopez chipped in with five points, eight rebounds and three steals.

“That’s how our team is: As soon as one person’s not really doing their job, we have somebody else ready to go step in,” Geraghty said of the Bears’ balance.

Kowalski led NU with 17 points and seven rebounds, Genny Caruso scored 11 points and 6-foot-3 center Lani Lawrence managed eight points and 10 rebounds.

In a game characterized by alternating scoring spurts, Northeastern had grabbed a 39-36 lead on two Lawrence foul shots with 13:45 left. The Huskies would manage only three field goals and 12 points the rest of the way.

Sparked by Veilleux’s six second-half rebounds and Geraghty’s ability to force the tempo, the Bears took the lead for good with an attacking transition game.

Veilleux hit a 15-foot jumper and nailed a 3-pointer, then Geraghty threw in a seven-foot runner during a 7-0 burst that put UMaine in front 43-39 at the 12:20 mark. It wasn’t until 61/2 minutes later that the Bears increased the margin.

Leading 43-41, the hosts rattled off 10 unanswered points during a span of three minutes, 16 seconds.

Heon opened the run with a weak-side rebound basket, then Ernest hit a pull-up jumper in the lane. Ernest followed with a low-post move off a Geraghty feed and made a driving layup before Veilleux capped the flurry with a short fall-away jumper that gave UMaine a 53-41 advantage with 5:34 to play.

“I’m just trying not to be hesitant, keep my confidence up,” Veilleux said. “When you’re hesitant or have one doubt about [a shot], you’re not going to make it.”

Caruso hit two 3-pointers to fuel a 10-2 run for Northeastern, which crept within 55-51, but Lopez’s close-range hoop at the 1:20 mark and four consecutive free throws by poised point guard Guerrette put it away.

The Huskies committed 20 turnovers. UMaine had 15.

Black Bears 61, Huskies 51

Northeastern (12-14) Maine (12-14)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Williams 1 8 0 0 3 Heon 4 11 8

Kowalski 5 14 3 3 17 Ernest 4 6 8

Caruso 4 11 0 1 11 Guerrette 1 7

Harris 2 7 1 1 5 Lopez 2 11 5

Lawrence 3 10 2 2 8 James 0 3 0

DiMaria 0 4 0 0 0 Moldre 2 3 4

Newsome 0 1 0 0 0 Veilleux 6 12 0 3 14

Curtis 0 0 1 2 1 Geraghty 7 11 1 1 15

Jefferson 3 8 0 0 6

Totals 18 63 7 9 51 Totals 26 60 10 61

Northeastern 23 51

Maine 30 61

3-pt. goals ? Northeastern (8-20): Williams 1-4, Kowalski 4-8, Caruso 3-6, Harris 0-2; Maine (4-9): Guerrette 1-2, Lopez 1-3, Veilleux 2-3, Geraghty 0-1

Attendance: 2,601