ALBANY, N.Y. – Bracey Barker connected on 10 of 12 shots on her way to a game-high 21 points Saturday, leading the University of Maine women’s basketball team to a 67-58 America East victory over Albany at the Recreation and Convocation Center.

Barker, a sophomore forward from Bar Harbor, also pulled down six rebounds and blocked three shots in 38 minutes of action.

“If we could have stopped Barker, it might have been a different story,” said Albany coach Trina Patterson. “They are the best passing team in the conference. Some possessions we didn’t play defense long enough.”

Coach Sharon Versyp’s 14-8 Black Bears earned their seventh consecutive win while moving into sole possession of first place with a 10-2 league record. Hartford (9-3) lost at Stony Brook on Saturday.

Senior guards Kim Corbitt and Missy Traversi contributed 11 points and six assists each for UMaine, which shot 49 percent from the field. Corbitt grabbed four rebounds and Traversi added two steals.

Monica Peterson also reached double figures with 10 points and provided six rebounds.

Barker got into a good groove early and hit key shots.

“None of her shots were really easy, she always had somebody in her face,” Versyp said. “She’s one of those players that if she hits her first couple shots, she’s pretty confident.”

Albany (11-10, 6-6 AE) was paced by a 17-point, 16-rebound performance by Danielle Hutcheson. Alicia Learn tossed in 19 points, while Jen Schumacher added eight points and seven assists.

The Great Danes outrebounded the Bears 42-30, snatching 21 offensive boards. And UMaine, which went an uncharacteristic 12-for-22 from the free-throw line, found other areas to exploit.

“I think what we proved to ourselves is we’re finding ways to win basketball games, even if we don’t rebound or shoot free throws well,” Versyp said. “That’s a good sign.”

The Bears trailed 36-31 at halftime, but put together a 15-4 scoring surge to open the second half.

Corbitt started the run with a 3-pointer and Peterson added a foul shot. Hutcheson answered for Albany with a rebound basket, but Lindsay Hugstad-Vaa made a jumper to cut the Great Danes’ lead to 38-37.

Barker made a layup, Corbitt knocked down a jumper and a free throw, Barker hit a jump shot and Peterson scored from 15 feet as the Bears took a 46-40 lead with 12:12 remaining.

“We moved the ball around and we took high-percentage shots,” Versyp said.

“The first half we played kind of helter-skelter, but the second half we settled down,” she added.

Albany tied the game at 48-48 with 9:41 to play, but Traversi hit a 3-pointer and Barker made a short jumper to give UMaine a 57-50 edge.

The hosts hung close and cut the deficit to 59-56 with 4:23 left, but Barker hit another jumper and Abby Schrader made two free throws to give the Bears a seven-point cushion.

BLACK BEARS 67, GREAT DANES 58

Maine (14-8) Albany (11-10)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Peterson 4 12 2 5 10 Learn 9 12 19

Schrader 0 1 5 6 5 Jones 4 12 9

Traversi 4 12 2 5 11 Hutcheson 7 21 3 5 17

Corbitt 4 7 1 3 11 Schumachr 3 10 0 0 8

Barker 10 12 0 1 21 James 0 2 0

Underwood 1 3 2 2 5 Thrower 1 4 2

Whittier 0 0 0 0 0 Mikus 0 1 0

Sanders 1 2 0 3

Clark 0 0 0 0

Majors 0 0 0 0

Totals 25 51 12 22 67 Totals 25 64 58

Maine 31 67

Albany 36 58

3-pt. goals – Maine (5-13): Peterson 0-1, Traversi 1-5, Corbitt 2-3, Barker 1-2, Underwood 1-2; Albany: Schumacher 2-8, Sanders 1-1

Attendance: 2,214