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BRUNSWICK, Maine -- Senior guard Corteze Isaac (Germantown, Md./Northwest) calmly sank three free throws with just two seconds remaining in regulation to deliver the University of Southern Maine Huskies a 70-68 win over the Bowdoin College Polar Bears Tuesday night at Morrell Gymnasium.
The win marked the first time that Southern Maine has defeated Bowdoin since a 93-78 win on December 1, 1998, and improved its overall record to 5-1 overall. The loss is the first of the season for the Polar Bears who fell to 3-1.
Isaac finished with 16 points, three assists and three rebounds as three players reached double figures for the Huskies. Junior guard Chris Pagentine (Lexington, N.C./North Davidson) led the Huskies with a career-high 18 points on an outstanding 7-for-10 effort from the floor, including a 4-for-4 mark from three-point range. Junior forward Sean Bergeron (Kennebunk, Maine) added 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
Bowdoin junior guard Will Hanley (New Canaan, Conn.) shared game-high scoring honors with Pagentine. Hanley was a solid 7-for-14 from the field and grabbed seven rebounds. Junior guard Ryan O'Connell (Ipswich, Mass./St. John's Prep) and junior forward Tom Carter (Toms River, N.J./Monsignor Donovan) each added 13 points.
The Huskies raced out to an 11-point lead, 43-32, at halftime, only to see the lead erode and swing to a one-point deficit with just seconds to play in the game. Southern Maine's first-half lead was thanks in part to a solid 43.8 percent (14-for-32) effort from the field, including six three-point field goals. Conversely, the Huskies defense held the Polar Bears' offense to a sub-par 31.0 percent (9-for-30) shooting effort.
In the second half, Bowdoin charged out with a 10-0 run to pull within one of the Huskies, 43-42, in the opening three minutes. O'Connell sank two threes in the run, while Hanley added four points on a dunk and a layup. USM responded with a 10-4 run over the next four minutes to regain a 53-46 lead with 12:03 to play.
The teams battled over the next eight minutes with USM's lead wavering between three to seven points. Pagentine canned his fourth three of the game with 4:32 to play to give the Huskies a 65-58 lead. Trailing by seven, Bowdoin again made a push with back-to-back threes from O'Connell and junior guard Justin Nowell (Cos Con, Conn./Brunswick School) to trail 65-64 with 2:31 on the clock. A layup from USM senior forward Otis Smith (Altamonte Springs, Fla./Ocoee) gave the Huskies a 67-64 lead with 1:54 to play and marked the last field goal of the game for USM.
After missed possessions from both sides, Hanley again pulled his team to within one with a layup, and after a Bowdoin steal, the Polar Bears looked poised to take the game with 35 second to play. However, the Huskies made a defensive stand of their own forcing a five-second call when Bowdoin tried to inbound the ball.
On the ensuing possession, USM's Bergeron was fouled, but his missed free throw was rebounded by Polar Bears. The Huskies were charged with a foul sending O'Connell to the free throw line where he made a pair of freebies with 14 seconds to play to give the Polar Bears a 68-67 edge. With just seconds remaining, the Huskies ran the ball up the court and got it into the hands of Isaac who was fouled attempting a three-point shot with just two second to play. Isaac sank all three charity tosses, and the Polar Bears missed on a desperation heave to give the Huskies their first win over the Polar Bears in 12 tries.
Southern Maine travels to Western Connecticut State University on Saturday (3:00 p.m.) to open up its Little East Conference schedule. Bowdoin College travels to Bates College for a non-conference game on Saturday (2:00 p.m.).
-cac-
