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         GORHAM, Maine -- Senior guard Corteze Isaac (Germantown, Md./Northwest) scored a game-high 27 points to lead four players in double figures as the University of Southern Maine Huskies defeated the Rhode Island College Anchormen, 95-88, in a Little East Conference men's basketball game at the Warren Hill Gymnasium Tuesday night.

            With the win, Southern Maine improved its record to 9-5 overall and 1-3 in the Little East, and snapped an 11-game losing streak to Rhode Island College in the process.  The loss drops RIC to

8-4 overall and 3-1 in the LEC.  USM last defeated Rhode Island College on January 10, 2006.

            Isaac, who scored 18 of his 27 points in the second half, was 8-for-20 from the field and 8-for-8 at the foul line.  Senior forward Otis Smith (Altamonte Springs, Fla./Ocoee) added 21 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.  Senior guard Devin Chambers (Memphis, Tenn./Oak Hill Academy) and junior forward Sean Bergeron (Kennebunk, Maine) each added 13 points.  Bergeron also had five rebound and four steals.

            Senior guard Antone Gray (Providence, R.I./St. Raphael) led the Anchormen with 17 points and eight assists.  Senior forward Carl Lee (Warwick, R.I./Toll Gate) added 16 points and junior center Mike Akinrola (Woonsocket, R.I.) tossed in 15 points and five rebounds.  Junior guard Mason Choice (Newport, R.I./Rogers) added 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.

            With USM clinging to a four-point lead (37-33) at the break, the game continued to be a back and forth battle in the second half.  Neither team led by more than three points in the first ten minutes of play.  Following a three-pointer from Isaac, USM had its largest lead of the second half (60-56) only to see it quickly trimmed to a point (60-59) on a three-point play from Akinrola who scored on a fast-break layup, off an assist from Gray, and free throw.

            The Huskies responded to the Anchormen pressure scoring six straight points on a three-point play from senior forward Todd Forcier (Gonic, N.H./Spaulding) and a three-pointer from Smith to lead 66-59 with 8:34 to play.

            RIC answered back with a three from Carter, but Southern Maine continued to come up with big shots as Smith sank his second straight three-pointer from the left side for a 69-62 USM lead with 7:20 to play.

            From there, RIC never got any closer than four points the rest of the way as USM received timely scoring from Isaac and Smith down the stretch.

            Southern Maine hosts Eastern Connecticut State University on Saturday (3:00 p.m.) in a Little East Conference game.  Rhode Island College hosts Plymouth State University on Saturday (3:00 p.m.).

-cac-