The third time was a charm, but not for the women's basketball team. It was a charm for Boston, who lost to UMBC twice in the regular season but beat them in the opening round of the America East Conference Tournament, 60-49.

"We didn't play well. We never shoot it well in this gym. I wish they'd move the tournament because we haven't shot it well in this gym in our eight years here whether it's regular season or tournament," said UMBC Coach Phil Stern. "It's got to go back to Binghamton; we win it when we're in Binghamton. If we could do that, if somebody in here has the power to do that, that would be great," he jokingly added.

UMBC has only found success in one first-round game in their eight years in the America East, which was when the tournament was in Binghamton's events center. UMBC upset the top three seeds to win the AEC championship there in 2007. Though the team was able to beat Boston twice in the regular season, one game including a 23-point second-half comeback, they just could not reproduce that success when it counted and shot the ball very poorly, making just 32.1% of their shots, and shooting only 13% from three point range.

"We didn't shoot well, we turned the ball over, we made mental errors and mental mistakes; you're not going to win an America East Conference tournament game like that," said a teary-eyed Carlee Cassidy, who played in her final collegiate game.

Cassidy, who was a second team all-conference selection for the third straight year, led the Retrievers with 18 point and had eight rebounds. She ends her career with the second most points in UMBC women's basketball history (1,627) and the most three-pointers (248), which is also second all-time in the AEC.

"It's disappointing; we certainly didn't play our best game, and I feel bad that we couldn't advance a little further for Carlee because she's had such a great career," Stern said.

While the game was close for the first 18 minutes, with neither team having more than a five-point lead, Boston went on an 8-0 run to close out the half, sending UMBC into the break with a 10-point deficit.

"It stung a little bit because we were down two and we were talking in the huddle, let's be up four by half, then the reverse happened," Cassidy said. "It's disappointing and it's more difficult going into the half down 10 than down two or four. That run definitely had a big impact on the game."

Stern explained that, for them, a 10-point deficit is only three shots, but he was more concerned with the way Boston's team was able to score. Boston guard Alex Young was able to make a wide-open three-point shot, and Kerry Cashman was left open underneath the basket for a lay-up.

"The way we're playing right now, we're slowing the game down again so there were big possessions," Stern said. "The pace was what we wanted, but we didn't execute how we wanted."

Young scored a game-high 23 points and made four three-pointers, two of which came when UMBC was able to cut Boston's lead to single digits, giving the Terriers their double-digits advantage back.

"She's a good shooter and she made four and if she's open she's going to make them," Stern said. "We had a scramble at the end when we were trapping, so she hit some open ones."

In the first half shots just would not fall for UMBC; they made only six baskets and were shooting just 26.1% from the floor. They had seven turnovers and just one assist in the first half. In the second half they shot the ball better, but still only made 36.7% of their baskets.

"Sometimes you shoot the ball well and sometimes you don't," Cassidy said. "I personally rushed some shots, and we didn't run the offense correctly, or set our man up, or do all the little things to get clean shots where you can take your time and follow through."

Rookie of the Year and first team all-conference selection Chantell Alford recorded a double-double for the Terriers, scoring 13 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Overall UMBC was out-rebounded 43-35.

Only three Retrievers were able to make more than one basket. Other than Cassidy, Michele Kurowski scored 13 points with eight rebounds, and Meghan Colabella had a near double-double with nine points and eight rebounds.

Topé Obajolu, who averaged 9.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in conference games, was only on the floor for seven minutes because Colabella "has been playing better and really hurt them the second time at our place when we made the comeback," Stern said. "Meg deserved the minutes; she's been playing hard, she's very active on the floor, and she's experienced."

The team ends their season with a 13-17 record, and though they will lose Cassidy, who may be the best player in the team's history, they will return all nine other players from this year's team. Transfer Kristin Coles, as well as three freshman who have already signed their letters of intent, will join the team next year.