Tanna Ross, a freshmen from Hampden, Maine, put up a career-high 22 points against Albany in America East play on Sunday. Ross was especially good from the free-throw, connecting on 7 of 8 attempts.

Tanna Ross scores career-high 22 points

The University of Maine women's basketball team dropped a 78-46 decision to Albany on Sunday afternoon at SEFCU Arena in Albany, N.Y. The Black Bears fell to 4-11 overall and 1-1 in America East, while the Great Danes ran their record to 4-11 and 2-0 in the league.

Tanna Ross poured in a career-high 22 points for the Black Bears. It marked the second time this season she scored at least 20 points in a contest.

Albany opened the game on an 11-0 run - powered by six points from Tanika Thrower -- over the first two minutes and led by double-digits the rest of the half. The Great Danes led by as many as 27 throughout the first half as they built a 45-18 advantage at halftime. Ross led Maine in scoring in the opening 20 minutes as she scored 12 points. The Black Bears did out-rebound Albany 23-17 in the first half.

Albany never let its lead slip below double-digits in the second half.

Maine returns to action Wednesday when it takes on Stony Brook in New York at 7 p.m. The Black Bears return to Alfond Arena on Saturday when they play host to Hartford at 7 p.m. Tickets still remain for the contest and can be purchased by calling 581-BEAR or toll-free (800) 756-TEAM.

Phillipe Tchekane Bofia netted 21 points against America East rival UMBC to help lead the Black Bears to a 77-74 victory in Baltimore on Saturday. Bofia, the junior forward from Yaounde, Cameroon, backed up his scoring effort with a solid performance on both ends of the court as he grabbed 3 rebounds and picked up 3 assists.

Tchekane Bofia has 21 points in win

The men's basketball team defeated the University of Maryland at Baltimore County by the score of 77-74 Saturday night. With the win, Maine improves to 5-10 overall, and 1-1 in America East. The UMBC Retrievers fell to 11-6, and 3-1 in America East. Maine was led by America East Player of the Game Phil Tchekane Bofia (Yaounde, Cameroon) who had 21 points, three rebounds and three assists. UMBC was led by Brian Hodges (Upper Marlboro, Maryland) who had 21 points.

In the first half, the Black Bears played well, and Maine went into halftime with a 36-35 lead. Maine was led by Phil Tchekane Bofia , who had 13 points. Brian Andre (Bingham, Maine) had nine points and four rebounds while playing well in the paint. Junior Bernal had the play of the half, as he grabbed a loose ball and went baseline, dunking the ball hard one-handed over a UMBC player. Maine shot a blistering 60 percent from the field on 15-of-25 shooting, and also out-rebounded the Retrievers 15-13 in the first 20 minutes.

Hodges and Ray Barbosa (Allentown, PA) each had 11 points to lead UMBC in the first stanza.

In the second half, the Black Bears and the Retrievers battled back and forth until Maine went on a run to take an 11 point lead. UMBC battled back and took the lead briefly, but the Black Bears regained the lead and would not relinquish it thanks to clutch free-throw shooting by Mark Socoby (Houlton, Maine) and Tchekane Bofia.

Andre finished with 14 points and five rebounds while Socoby finished with 10 points nad 11 rebounds. Kaimondre Owes (Brooklyn, New York) and Junior Bernal (Manhattan, New York) each had 12 points for the Black Bears.

Maine returns home on Wednesday, Jan. 16, to battle the defending America East regular season champion University of Vermont at 7:30 pm in the Alfond Arena. The game is Sean McNally Hometown Hero day, and tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling 581-BEAR or (800) 756-TEAM.