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            GORHAM, Maine -- Junior forward Courtney Cochran (Waite, Maine/Woodland) notched her team-leading 10th double-double of the season scoring 12 points and grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 72-39 win over the University of Massachusetts Boston Beacons in a Little East Conference women's basketball game Tuesday evening at the Clark Athletic Center.

            The win is the seventh straight for the Huskies who improved to 12-6 overall and 7-1 in the Little East.  Suffering their fourth straight loss, the Beacons fell to 11-7 overall and 2-6 in the conference.  The Huskies remained tied for first place in the LEC with Western Connecticut State University, which defeated instate rival Eastern Connecticut State University 58-50.

            Cochran recorded her 10th double-double, playing just 27 minutes, to lead three USM players in double figures.  Junior guard Renee Nicholas (Sebago, Maine/Lake Region) had a team-high 14 points, along with four steals, and freshman guard Erin McNamara (West Newbury, Mass./Pentucket Regional) tossed in 13 points on a 5-for-6 shooting performance.

            Freshman guard Colleen Hooper (Mansfield, Mass.) led all scorers with 16 points on 6-for-17 shooting and corralled six rebounds. Freshman guard Senteria Renwicks (Baltimore, Md./Lans-down) added seven points.

            The game was closely contested for the opening nine minutes, as a layup from Hooper put the Beacons just six points behind the Huskies, 16-10, with 11:02 to play.  However, the Huskies blew the game open with a 19-0 run to lead 35-10 with 6:19 to play.  Senior guard Kaylie DeMillo (Jay, Maine) started the run sinking one of her two three-pointers in the game after a Nicholas steal and an assist, while Cochran scored six of her 12 points in the run.

            A layup from sophomore guard Elisa Ogawa (Yamanashi, Japan/Boston Community Leadership) ended the Beacon scoring drought, and both teams traded baskets to close out the half with the Huskies leading, 46-21, at the break.

            In the second half, the Huskies maintained 20-plus point lead, and were in control of the game, 53-29, with 13:11 to play before surging to their largest lead of the game, 69-30, with 4:07 to play following a 16-1 run.  Six different players scored for the Huskies in the run, led by seven points from junior guard Nicole Garland (Portland, Maine/Deering).

            Southern Maine shot 44.2 percent (23-for-52) from the field and 53.8 percent (7-for-13) from three-point range in the win.  UMass Boston shot 23.2 percent (13-for-56) and were held to just four field goals in the second half.  

            Southern Maine hosts Little East Conference foe Keene State College on Saturday (1:00 p.m.).  UMass Boston travels to Rhode Island College on Saturday (1:00 p.m.).