SYRACUSE - For the first time in team history, the University at Albany women's basketball team is advancing in the NCAA tournament.

Down by as many as 16 points and with their star player fouling out with 6:18 remaining, UAlbany rallied to stun Florida 61-59 Friday afternoon in an NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament first-round game at the Carrier Dome.

It was the fifth straight appearance in the NCAAs for the Great Danes (28-4), who were seeded 12th and had yet to win a tournament game. UAlbany is one of only 16 teams in women's basketball history to have won its conference championship for five years in a row.

UAlbany will move on to face the winner of the Syracuse-Army game on Sunday, also at the Carrier Dome.

Heather Forster scored her only basket of the game with 1:47 to play, off a pass from Tiani-Jo Carter, to give the Danes a 58-57 lead. Florida missed on its next two possessions, and Imani Tate hit one of two free throws, and Carter sealed it with a layup off Zakiya Saunders' miss with 7.3 seconds to play.

Tate finished with 28 points. Richards had 14 before she fouled out.

The Danes trailed by seven with Richards, a three-time America East Player of the Year, picked up her fifth foul. She already had sat out a huge chunk of the first half, picking up her second foul with 1:30 remaining in first quarter and went to the bench. The Danes led 14-8 at the time, but Florida outscored UAlbany 18-2 until Richards re-entered the game with 4:22 to play in the second quarter.

WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS HISTORIC WIN?

Walked past the @UAlbanyPepBand, where members were just screaming "Oh my God! Oh my God!" over and over. — Pete Iorizzo (@PeteIorizzo) March 18, 2016

Earlier:

SYRACUSE — With star Shereesha Richards sitting out seven minutes after picking up her second personal foul, the University at Albany trailed Florida at halftime 36-22 in an NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament first-round game at the Carrier Dome.

The Great Danes led 14-8 when Richards, the three-time America East Player of the Year, picked up her second foul 60 feet from the basket with 1:30 to play in the first quarter.

The Gators, out of the Southeastern Conference, outscored the Danes 18-2 while Richards was sitting out. She finally returned with 4:22 left in the second quarter and Florida holding a 26-10 advantage.

Richards, a senior, hit four of her five field-goal attempts in the first half and had eight points. Imani Tate led the Danes with 10 points.

UAlbany had 14 turnovers in the first half. Florida had 12 but only two in the second quarter.

Tate led UAlbany with 10 points in the first half, followed by Richards' 8. Richards was held to 13 minutes because of her two fouls. — Pete Iorizzo (@PeteIorizzo) March 18, 2016

UAlbany also finished with a cringe-worthy total of 14 turnovers in the first half. (Though Florida also had 12.) — Pete Iorizzo (@PeteIorizzo) March 18, 2016

Earlier. The University at Albany women's basketball team is counting down the final minutes before they play their NCAA tournament game against the fifth-ceded Florida Gators.

Fans are arriving at the Carrier Dome for the noon tip off.

The UAlbany team arrived at the Carrier Dome without any doubt it can win Friday's NCAA Tournament first-round game against Florida. And the Great Danes weren't afraid to say so.

"I think we have a great chance of winning this year," senior forward Shereesha Richards said a few minutes before taking the court for practice Thursday.

"She is so confident," coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson added moments later, laughing. "The words that come out of their mouths, as their coach, I'm just so proud. That's the whole point of my program, to empower women and make them believe they can do anything, make them fearless."

The No. 12-seeded Great Danes might be the underdog when they tip off against the Gators, but in their fifth NCAA Tournament game, they believe they're poised to advance to the second round for the first time in school history.

@UAlbanyWBB is on the court warming up for today's NCAA Tournament game. Their shirts say "Always reppin.'" pic.twitter.com/9gow9X3DE6 — Pete Iorizzo (@PeteIorizzo) March 18, 2016

SEE PETE IORIZZO'S STORY FROM FRIDAY'S NEWSPAPER

ICYMI: @UAlbanyWBB's opponent, Florida, got ready for the NCAA Tournament in a boxing gym: https://t.co/EdKJ3ptqfm — Pete Iorizzo (@PeteIorizzo) March 18, 2016