ORONO – Several times this season, the University of Maine women’s basketball team has played poorly early in a game and paid the price.

Saturday night, in their America East opener, the Black Bears didn’t wait around to start playing well.

Senior guard Kris Younan drained three 3-pointers in a span of 82 seconds as UMaine raced to an early 15-point lead en route to a 67-55 victory over Maryland Baltimore County at Alfond Arena in Orono.

“This game we turned it around and we were the ones who set the tone early in the game,” said Younan, who tallied a career-best 13 points as coach Cindy Blodgett’s Bears won for the third time in their last five games.

“We were the ones that came out aggressive, came out hot. I think it’s very important that we did that,” Younan added.

Junior forward Colleen Kilmurray paced UMaine (4-10) with a career-high 23 points. She also grabbed five rebounds and had three assists in 36 minutes of action.

“Colleen, she’s very tough,” Blodgett said. “She does a lot of the dirty work. Tonight with 23 points, leading our team, I’m going to guess that’s not going to happen very often. She’s very selfless. She’s not one that’s really looking to score.”

UMaine fended off a determined comeback attempt by the Retrievers (4-10, 0-1 AE), the defending league champions. UMBC got within three points in the second half, but wasn’t able to get over the hump.

The Bears built the victory around their 1-2-2 matchup zone. The defense effectively clogged up the middle against a post-deficient UMBC ballclub, forcing the visitors to live and die from the perimeter.

Carlee Cassidy, the leading scorer in the conference (16.7 points per game), connected for five 3-pointers on her way to a game-high 27 points. However, UMBC went only 9-for-34 (27 percent) from long range and couldn’t establish any other consistent scoring threats.

UMaine demonstrated that it can be difficult for opponents to know which players to key on. Kilmurray was effective in the paint, but also took her game outside, hitting eight of 11 shots.

“They came out in a zone, so we just moved the ball around and I just happened to be open a few times and my teammates made some good passes and my shots fell sometimes,” said a modest Kilmurray.

Younan, who was active at the top of the Bears’ zone, had four rebounds and two assists.

Sophomore Brittany Boser tossed in 12 points, while freshman Emily Rousseau of Biddeford added nine points, five rebounds and four assists. Amanda Tewksbury contributed six points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals.

UMaine outrebounded UMBC 35-27 and wound up committing 17 turnovers, seven below its season average. The Bears also amassed a 22-4 advantage at the foul line, missing only one free throw.

After spotting the Retrievers a 2-0 lead, the Bears heated up quickly. Younan hit three straight 3-pointers and Kilmurray provided a three-point play during a 12-3 spurt that put the hosts in a good mindset.

UMaine made seven of its first nine field-goal attempts.

“She [Younan] brings so much defensively for us, but of course hitting those 3’s gave us a tremendous lift,” Blodgett said. “It makes the team instantly have confidence and you’re not digging yourself out of a hole.”

Kristin Drabyn slowed the surge with a 3-pointer, but Kilmurray scored seven points to spearhead UMaine’s ensuing 13-2 run that made it 25-10 with 8:45 left in the first half.

UMBC was within eight points (29-21) at halftime after the Bears managed only one field goal in the last 8:45 thanks to a spate of turnovers.

The Retrievers kept chipping away and eventually cut the deficit to 50-47 with 7:55 left. However, Boser made two foul shots, Kilmurray hit a 10-footer from the paint and Boser scored off a give-and-go with Kilmurray to extend the lead to 56-47 with 6:10 remaining.

Tewksbury and Rousseau each converted four free throws in the final 1:34 to ice the win.

pwarner@bangordailynews.net

990-8240

BLACK BEARS 67, RETRIEVERS 55

UMBC (4-10) Maine (4-10)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Colabella 2 5 0 0 4 Boser 4 9 12

Hatten 2 4 2 2 7 Tewksbry 0 6

Cassidy 10 23 2 3 27 Kilmurray 8 11 6 6 23

Drabyn 3 16 0 0 8 Younan 4 6 13

Brokans 0 2 0 0 0 Rousseau 2 9

Barker 0 0 0 0 0 Baker 0 1 0

Lindgren 0 2 0 1 0 Ross 1 6 2

Frazier 4 6 0 0 9 Mosher 1 1 2

Totals 21 58 4 6 55 Totals 20 43 22 23 67

UMBC 21 55

Maine 29 67

3-pt. goals – UMBC (9-34): Hatten 1-3, Cassidy 5-13, Drabyn 2-13, Brokans 0-2, Frazier 1-3; Maine (5-16): Kilmurray 1-2, Younan 3-4, Rousseau 1-5, Baker 0-1, Ross 0-4