WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Maine women’s basketball team opened its America East regular-season finale with a 17-4 run and went on to defeat Hartford 61-40 Saturday at the Chase Family Arena.

Maine, 22-6 overall, completed its conference schedule with a 17-1 record and will enter the America East postseason tournament as the No. 1 seed. Coach Sharon Versyp’s Black Bears will return to Hartford for a 6 p.m. quarterfinal Thursday against the winner of Wednesday’s play-in game between New Hampshire and Stony Brook.

Hartford, 18-11 overall and 9-9 in AE play, will be the No. 4 seed and face No. 5 Albany in a quarterfinal at 8:30 p.m. Thursday.

The America East tournament runs from Wednesday through Saturday at Chase Family Arena.

Senior forward Heather Ernest led Maine’s effort against Hartford, making 7 of 8 field-goal tries and 6 of 8 free throws for a game-high 21 points to go with six rebounds. Senior guard Melissa Heon added 12 points, 10 in the first half, while Kim Corbitt scored eight.

Erika Messam paced Hartford with 10 points.

Maine’s defense proved stifling early in the game, not allowing the Hawks to reach double digits until just 4:17 remained in the first half, when the Black Bears led 26-10.

By intermission, Maine’s lead was 32-17, as the Black Bears shot 54 percent over the game’s first 20 minutes.

Ernest scored 14 of her points in the second half as the Black Bears built their advantage to as many as 27 points on a Kim Corbitt basket with 2:45 remaining.

BLACK BEARS 61, HAWKS 40

Maine (22-6, 17-1) Hartford (18-11, 9-9)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Heon 4 8 4 5 12 Messam 5 13 0 10

Ernest 7 8 6 8 21 Gale 4 8 8

Corbitt 3 8 2 2 8 Murray 0 2 0

Veilleux 1 5 0 0 3 Stich 2 12 4

Peterson 2 2 1 2 5 Price 0 3 0

Traversi 0 5 1 3 1 Wexler 1 4 5

Underwood 1 7 0 0 2 Barnes 0 0 0

Hugstad-Vaa 0 0 1 2 1 Witt 0 2 2

Jay 0 0 0 0 0 DiDonato 1 1 2

Whittier 1 2 0 0 2 Matulis 3 6 9

Barker 1 3 0 0 2 Lowndes 0 0 0

Schrader 1 2 2 4 4 Clark 0 1 0

Totals 21 50 17 26 61 16 52 10 40

Maine 32 29 61

Hartford 17 23 40

3-pt. goals ? Maine (2-18): Ernest 1-2, Veilleux 1-3, Barker 0-1, Traversi 0-2, Heon 0-3, Corbitt 0-3, Underwood 0-4; Hartford (1-11): Wexler 1-4, Clark 0-1, Messam 0-3, Stich 0-3

Attendance: 1,697