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            GORHAM, Maine -- Senior guard Tyler Kelley (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) scored 27 points to lead four players in double figures as the St. Joseph's College Monks rallied from a second-half deficit to defeat the University of Southern Maine Huskies, 81-75, in a non-conference men's basketball game Sunday night at  the Warren Hill Gymnasium.

            With the win, the Monks improved to 3-0 and secured possession of the Costello Cup, presented annually to the winner of the contest between the two schools, for the third straight year.  Contested over the past 22 years, the Costello Cup honors the late Richard "Doc" Costello, former USM Athletic Director and long-time basketball coach.  The loss was the first of the season for the Huskies after a four-game winning streak to open the 2010-11 campaign.

            Kelley was an outstanding 11-for-14 from the field, and had four rebounds and four steals.  Junior guard Chris Petzy (Kensington, N.H./Exeter) added 19 points on 5-for-12 shooting.  Junior guard Zach O'Brien (Schenectady, N.Y./Bishop Gibbons) had 12 points, six rebounds and a game-high six assists, while senior forward Anthony Savino (Portland, Maine/Cheverus) tossed in 10 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.

            Southern Maine senior guard Corteze Isaac (Germantown, Md./Northwest) matched Kelley for game-high scoring honors with 27 points.  Isaac also had four rebounds, two assists and one blocked shot.  Senior forward Otis Smith (Altamonte Springs, Fla./Ocoee) added 13 points and six rebounds.  Junior forward Sean Bergeron (Kennebunk, Maine) and senior guard Troy Jellison (Bangor, Maine) each chipped in with seven points.

            Trailing by four, 62-58, with 8:15 to play, Kelley and Petzy combined to score 16 of the Monks' final 23 points to earn the win.  In the closely contested match that featured nine ties and five lead changes, Petzy's three-pointer with 7:21 to play gave the Monks a 63-62 lead, a lead that they would not relinquish the rest of the game.

            Southern Maine pulled to within one twice in the final minutes of action.  Jellison's three with 2:54 to play closed the gap to 72-71, but that was as lose as the Huskies would get.  St. Joseph's outscored USM, 9-4, down the stretch, including four points from Kelley, for the 81-75 final.

            Southern Maine travels to Bowdoin College on Tuesday (7:30 p.m.).  St. Joseph's travels to Husson University on Wednesday (7:00 p.m.).

-cac-