Amanda Robinson saved her best for last. Knowing that she was one loss away from the end of her season, the University of Maryland-Baltimore County’s junior forward came through with her best games of the season in last week’s America East Conference Tournament. Robinson averaged 15.3 points and 6.3 rebounds — well above her season averages — in three games to help lead the Retrievers to victory over the conference’s top three teams and secure their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth. She earned Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament honors for her efforts.

As the 16th seed in the Fresno Region, UMBC (16-16) faces No. 1 Connecticut (29-3) in a first-round game Sunday night at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Conn.

“We just want to go out there and have fun,” the 6-foot-3 Robinson said. “It’s going to be really exciting to play against a team like UConn in front of the most fans we have ever played against.”

Robinson knows it will take an even greater effort than her play in the America East Tournament for the Retrievers to have a shot of defeating the Big East champ. But she plans on going against the Huskies with a nothing-to-lose attitude.

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“All season long, we talked about building up to this point and getting ready for the conference tournament,” Robinson said. “I think the biggest difference in us now is the confidence we have as a team.”

Robinson isn’t sure what is different with UMBC now as compared with the final six weeks of the regular season, when the team limped to a 3-7 finish. The only thing she points to is the sense of postseason urgency that your next loss will be your last game.

UMBC senior forward Sharri Rohde said the Retrievers would not even be talking about playing UConn now if it wasn’t for Robinson’s play last weekend.

“Amanda was just awesome last weekend,” Rohde said. “We probably wouldn’t have won any of those games without her there. That was the best she has played all year.”

THE ROBINSON FILE

» Hometown: Lusby

» Did you know? Robinson this season averages 10.3 points and 5.3 rebounds … She has 90 career blocks, which ranks fifth on UMBC’s all-time list … She ranked fourth this season in the America East in blocks per game (1.28).