ALBANY, N.Y. (Interstat) — Adrianna Smith scored 25 points and Maine’s defense forced a critical late turnover to secure a 65-60 victory over Albany in an America East women’s basketball game Thursday night at SEFCU Arena.

The Black Bears, who led for nearly the entire contest, saw a 10-point fourth-quarter advantage whittled down to two in the final minute before a decisive defensive play sealed the win. With Maine leading 62-60 and 14 seconds remaining, Albany’s Gabriela Falcao was called for an offensive foul, her second such violation in the final 90 seconds, handing possession back to the Black Bears.

Smith, a junior from Reston, Virginia, then sank a driving layup with 7 seconds left to push the lead to four. After a timeout, Albany’s Amaya Stewart was fouled on a layup attempt but missed the ensuing free throw that would have cut the deficit to one. Maine’s Sarah Talon hit one of two free throws with 3 seconds left for the final margin.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded over the final two minutes. Leading 60-56, Maine committed a turnover, which Albany’s Stewart converted into a jumper to make it 60-58 with 51 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, Smith found Talon for a layup to restore a four-point cushion. Albany answered immediately with a Stewart jumper, assisted by Delanie Hill, making it 62-60 with 51 seconds remaining.

Maine then ran the clock down before Talon missed a driving shot. Albany secured the rebound with a chance to tie or take the lead, but Falcao’s offensive foul — called for contact while setting a screen — extinguished the threat. The Great Danes, who entered the game with a 79.7% probability of winning according to Interstat’s ELO system, were held scoreless on their final three possessions.

Smith, who added seven assists, was the engine for a Maine offense that operated with precision despite a narrow statistical edge. The Black Bears shot 47.3% from the field to Albany’s 48%, but the disparity came from beyond the arc. Maine connected on 7 of 13 three-point attempts, while Albany managed just 1 of 9.

Asta Blauenfeldt of Kongens Lyngby, Denmark, was pivotal in that effort, hitting three 3-pointers as part of her 12-point performance. Olivia Alvarez Tirado of Madrid, Spain, added eight points and five assists for Maine.

Albany was led by a dominant inside performance from Amaya Stewart of West Reading, Pennsylvania, who scored 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting in just 19 minutes off the bench. Martina Borrellas of Barcelona, Spain, contributed 15 points and three assists for the Great Danes.

The game was characterized by defensive pressure and ball security. Maine forced 16 Albany turnovers, converting them into 19 points, while committing only nine turnovers of their own. The Black Bears also recorded 13 steals, led by four from Alvarez Tirado and three each from Smith and Blauenfeldt.

Maine established control early, using a 7-0 run in the first quarter to take a lead it would never relinquish. The Black Bears led 18-14 after one quarter and 29-27 at halftime, despite Stewart’s 10 second-quarter points for Albany. The Great Danes tied the game twice in the third quarter but could never overtake the visitors. Each time Albany drew level, Maine responded with a basket, often from Smith or a timely three-pointer.

With the win, Maine evens its season record at 10-10 overall and moves to 4-3 in America East play. Albany falls to 11-8 overall and 3-4 in the conference. The announced attendance at SEFCU Arena was 1,051.

Maine next travels to face Binghamton on Saturday. Albany will host New Hampshire on Saturday. The teams are scheduled to meet again in Orono, Maine, on Feb. 26.