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            GORHAM, Maine -- Junior forward Ollie Hunter (Bedford, N.H./Bishop Guertin) scored 17 points on an outstanding 8-for-12 shooting effort to lead the Keene State College Owls to a 72-67 win over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a Little East Conference men's basketball game Saturday afternoon at the Warren Hill Gymnasium.

            With its fourth straight win, Keene State improved to 14-5 overall and 6-3 in the Little East.  Southern Maine dropped its fifth straight to fall to 9-10 overall and 1-8 in the conference.

            Hunter scored eight of his 17 points in the final five minutes of the game as Keene State pulled away from Southern Maine for the win.  Sophomore guard Ryan Martin (Wayne, Maine/Maranacook) added 13 points for the Owls while sophomore forward Nicco DeMasco (Richmond, N.H./Monadnock Regional) added eight points and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.  Junior forwards Cody Snow (Leyden, Mass./Pioneer Regional) and Derek D'Amours (Agawam, Mass.) and sophomore forward Eric Fazio (Hopewell Junction, Vt./Our Lady of Lords) each scored seven points.

            Senior guard Devin Chambers (Memphis, Tenn./Oak Hill) led four USM players in double figures with 15 points and four assists.  Senior forward Otis Smith (Altamonte Springs, Fla./Ocoee) added 12 points and junior guards Mike Poulin (Readfield, Maine/Maranacook) and Chris Pagentine (Lexington, N.C./North Davidson) chipped in with 11 points apiece.

            With the score tied 63-63 with 4:35 to play, Hunter snapped the 13th tie of the game with a layup in traffic to give the Owls a 65-63 lead with 3:44 to play.  After missed chances at both ends of the court, Hunter again scored a layup to put the Owls ahead 67-63 with 1:51 remaining.

            Southern Maine junior forward Jeremy Jackson (Laplace, La./Independence) pulled the Huskies back within two, 67-65, with 1:32 to play, but Martin drilled a three-pointer as the shot clocked sounded to put the game out of reach 70-65, with 20 seconds to play.  Jackson scored again for the Huskies on an offensive rebound, but forced to foul, the Huskies put D'Amours on the line and he sank both free throws for the final.

            Southern Maine travels to Colby College on Tuesday (7:30 p.m.).  Keene State hosts Western New England College on Monday (7:30 p.m.).

-cac-