ALBANY, N.Y. – Bracey Barker demonstrated Sunday afternoon that her fractured right wrist is healing nicely.

The senior forward from Bar Harbor scored 20 points and pulled down nine rebounds to lead the University of Maine to a 57-52 America East women’s basketball victory over Albany at SEFCU Arena.

Barker, who went 3-for-10 from the floor Thursday in her return from the injury, made seven of 13 against Albany. She played 33 minutes coming off the bench.

“She certainly doesn’t look like she missed a beat, that’s for sure,” said UMaine coach Ann McInerney. “She’s so smart and such an intelligent basketball player at both ends of the court. She kept us calm when things got a little bit crazy.”

The Black Bears (8-5, 2-0 AE) spotted the Great Danes a 10-point first-half lead but overcame turnover difficulties while improving to 13-0 all-time against Albany.

UMaine committed 21 turnovers, but Albany (5-10, 1-1 AE) managed only eight points off those miscues. The Bears also outrebounded the Great Danes 37-27 and afforded the hosts only six offensive boards and two second-chance points.

“That’s a big win against a very aggressive, determined Albany team,” McInerney said.

Ashley Underwood of Benton was 4-for-9 from 3-point range and 6-for-6 from the foul line. The senior accounted for seven of UMaine’s last nine points to secure the victory.

Lindsey Hugstad-Vaa contributed eight points and five rebounds while Katie Whittier of New Gloucester was limited to four points and seven rebounds. Freshman point guard Abby Greene posted six assists.

Amanda Ward led Albany with 15 points, while Kristin Higy netted 12 points and Gia Sanders 11. The Great Danes came up with 14 steals.

“They consistently trapped our rebounder, really making it hard for us to get the rebound and go [in the second half],” McInerney said.

Albany had built a 20-10 lead on a Sanders 3-pointer with 10:39 to play in the first half. However, the Bears responded with a game-changing 14-5 run.

Barker scored two baskets during the surge and Underwood hit two 3-pointers as UMaine cut the deficit to 25-24 at the 4:28 mark. The Bears eventually took the lead on two Underwood free throws and Barker hit a short jumper at the halftime buzzer to put them ahead for the first time, and for good, at 32-29.

UMaine opened the second half with a 10-4 run on the strength of six points by Barker, including a 3-pointer.

Two Barker free throws eventually pushed the lead to 11 points (46-35) at the 10:59 mark, but Albany hung tough.

The Great Danes rallied and crept within 48-46 on a Mikus jumper with 6:53 left, but the Bears held their ground.

Underwood drained a 3-pointer to push the lead back to five, then answered a Mikus jumper with two free throws. Britney McGee’s layup at the 3:14 mark cut the Bears’ lead to 53-50 with 3:14 left.

Neither team scored again until Underwood sank two foul shots to give UMaine some breathing room with 26 seconds to play. Underwood scored seven straight points for the Bears to help preserve the victory.

“We answered when we needed to get big rebounds and big stops,” McInerney said.

“Today, the seniors showed the younger kids how to hang on and play tough against a team on the road.”

UMaine returns to action Wednesday night at Binghamton.

BLACK BEARS 57, GREAT DANES 52

Maine (8-5) Albany (5-10)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Hugstd-Va 4 7 0 0 8 Mikus 3 8 6

Whittier 2 6 0 1 4 Higy 4 10 12

Younan 1 2 0 0 2 Peterson 0 0

Underwod 4 12 6 6 18 McGee 2 13 4

Greene 2 4 0 0 5 Ward 5 11 15

Tewksbury 0 2 0 0 0 Tanacan 0 0 0

Bowen 0 1 0 0 0 James 0 0 0

Barker 7 13 5 6 20 Iromanya 1 4

Sanders 5 9 0 11

Totals 20 47 11 13 57 Totals 20 54 52

Maine 32 57

Albany 29 52

3-pt. goals – Maine (6-17): Underwood 4-9, Greene 1-3, Bowen 0-1, Barker 1-4; Albany (4-17): Mikus 0-3, Higy 0-3, McGee 0-5, Ward 3-4, Sanders 1-2

Attendance: 432