BALTIMORE, Md. – Bracey Barker of Bar Harbor registered her first career double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds Wednesday night to spearhead the University of Maine women’s basketball team to a 62-46 America East victory over Maryland Baltimore County at the RAC Arena.

The Black Bears limited the Retrievers to eight points during the game’s final 15 minutes while winning back-to-back league games for the second time this season.

UMaine improved to 9-8 overall, 5-2 in conference play, while moving back into a three-way tie for first place in the America East standings. Co-leaders Hartford and Vermont both lost on the road Wednesday night.

“It was real important that we got out to a great start,” Versyp said. “We’ve been struggling in the middle-week games, so to win by 16 points was a real good win for us.”

Barker, a sophomore forward, went 8-for-10 from the floor, providing the Bears with a consistent low-post force. Her 11 rebounds were a career high.

Missy Traversi connected for 12 points, Abby Schrader contributed 11 points and six rebounds and Ashley Underwood of Benton chipped in with nine points, six of them from the foul line, and five rebounds for the Bears.

UMaine shot 49 percent from the floor despite a 5-for-14 effort from 3-point range and out-rebounded UMBC (7-9 overall, 2-5 AE) by a 32-20 margin.

“Our defense was a big key,” Versyp said. “We started full-court pressing and it got them out of sync so they couldn’t take a lot of time off the clock. We were able to get the defensive boards and run.”

Matea Pender, the country’s top 3-point shooter, finished with 13 points, including three 3-pointers, to pace the Retrievers.

“I think Kim [Corbitt’s] quickness bothered her in the first half, then Mon[ica] Peterson and Bracey did a good job on her in the second half.”

UMBC came out of the locker room at halftime and rattled off seven straight points, including six by Brittnie Hughes, as the hosts trimmed UMaine’s lead to 33-30 with 16:49 to play.

However, Traversi broke the streak by nailing a 3-pointer and Maine went on to score 18 of the next 23 points to break the game open.

Leading 40-35 with 14:09 remaining, the Bears put together a game-clinching surge. Barker hit a jumper, a layup and two free throws to push UMaine’s lead to 46-35.

Schrader joined the fun with a conventional three-point play, then Barker scored off another move in the paint to give the Bears a 51-35 advantage with 11:14 left. UMBC wouldn’t get closer than 13 points after that.

“Bracey and Abby and Mon really did a nice job doing the high-low and looking for each other,” Versyp said. “We told Bracey to attack and look for her shot more and she had a fantastic game. I thought Abby did a great job as well.”

The Bears emerged from an up-and-down first half with a 33-23 lead.

UMaine opened the contest with an 11-2 scoring run, sparked by seven points in the first 31/2 minutes by Barker. The visitors led 17-6 at the 13:38 mark when the Retrievers embarked on an 11-0 spurt.

Ana Goncharova hit a 3-pointer and a layup during the run as UMBC tied the game at 17-17 with 9:54 left in the half.

After a timeout, UMaine got things back in gear with Underwood serving as the catalyst. She sandwiched four free throws around her own 3-pointer to give the Bears a 24-17 lead with 8:10 left in the half.

BLACK BEARS, RETRIEVERS

Maine (9-8) UMBC (7-9)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Traversi 5 11 0 2 12 Hughes 3 4 9

Corbitt 2 3 0 0 6 Rohde 3 4 6

Barker 8 10 6 9 22 Pender 4 9 13

Peterson 1 5 0 0 2 Goncharova 3 8

Schrader 5 8 1 1 11 Voss 1 3 3

Underwood 1 6 6 7 9 Luttrell 1 2

Hugstad-Vaa 0 1 0 0 0 Hatten 2 4 5

Whittier 0 0 0 0 0 Robinson 0 0

Pullen 0 0 0 0 0 Drabyn 0 2 0

Younan 0 1 0 0 0 Ferguson 0 0

Doughman 0 0 0

Totals 22 45 13 19 62 Totals 17 40 11 46

Maine 33 62

UMBC 23 46

3-pt. goals – Maine (5-14): Traversi 2-3, Underwood 1-6, Corbitt 2-3, Barker 0-2; UMBC (6-17): Drabyn 0-1, Hughes 0-1, Rohde 0-1, Ferguson 0-1, Pender 3-5, Goncharova 2-5, Hatten 1-3

Attendance: 401