The University of Maine women’s basketball team’s road miseries continued.
Bryant University outscored the cold-shooting Black Bears 17-9 in the third quarter en route to a 68-57 America East victory in the regular season finale for both teams in Smithfield, Rhode Island, on Saturday afternoon.
Bryant improved to 16-13 overall and 9-7 in America East and will host a quarterfinal game next Thursday.
UMaine fell to 14-15 and 9-7 and needed first-place Albany to beat New Jersey Institute of Technology later Saturday night to earn a fourth-place finish and a host berth for Thursday.
The Black Bears will host fifth seed the New Jersey Institute of Technology (11-18, 8-8) on Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Skip Chappelle Court in the Memorial Gym.
UMaine’s loss was its sixth in eight conference road games.
Sophomore forward Nia Scott led the Bulldogs with 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Junior guard and New Hampshire transfer Breezie Williams had 13 points, three rebounds and two assists. Graduate student guard Mimi Rubino chipped in with 11 points, three rebounds and two assists and graduate student forward Ali Brigham had 10 points and eight rebounds.
Junior guard Asta Blauenfeldt poured in a game-high 20 points for the Black Bears and she also had four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Graduate student forward-guard Caroline Bornemann had 10 points, six rebounds and two assists and sophomore forward Caroline Dotsey produced 10 points and two rebounds. Junior guard Sarah Talon had eight points and two rebounds.
Senior guard Paula Gallego had seven points, three assists and two rebounds.
The Bulldogs led by eight after the first period and maintained that lead at the half.
In the third period, they extended the lead to 16 as they shot 7-for-11 from the floor while UMaine went just 3-for-15.
Bryant shot an impressive 59.5 percent from the floor compared to UMaine’s 35.5 percent.
The Bulldogs outscored UMaine in the paint 34-22.
