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            GORHAM, Maine -- Senior forward Otis Smith (Altamonte Springs, Fla./Ocoee) scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead four players in double figures as the University of Southern Maine Huskies defeated the University of Massachusetts Boston Beacons, 72-54, in a Little East Conference men's basketball game Tuesday night at the Warren Hill Gymnasium.

            The win snapped a nine-game losing streak for the Huskies who improve their record to 10-14 overall and 2-11 in the LEC. The win avenged a 76-75 loss to the Beacons earlier in the season.  The loss drops the Beacons to 8-16 overall and 2-11 in the LEC.

            Smith was 6-for-13 from the field and led the game in both points and rebounds.  Junior guard Mike Poulin (Readfield, Maine/Maranacook) added 13 points and seven assists, while junior guard Chris Pagentine (Lexington, N.C./North Davidson) tossed in 12 points and grabbed five rebounds.  Sophomore guard Alex Kee (Bath, Maine/Morse) chipped in 11 points.

            Junior guard Michael Mitchell (Boston, Mass./Wayland) led the Beacons with 13 points and four steals.  Junior guard Isaac Jenkins (Pordenone, Italy/Savio Prep) added 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds off the bench.

            After starting an ice-cold 0 for 8 from the field with four turnovers in the first four minutes of the game, Southern Maine trailed UMB 7-0.  The Huskies rallied however with an 18-2 run over the next six minutes to surge ahead of the Beacons for an 18-9 lead with 9:32 to play.  Five different players scored in the decisive run for USM, led by five points apiece from Smith and Pagentine.

            Southern Maine continued to pour on the points the remainder of the half, outscoring the Beacons 24-13 to take a commanding 42-22 lead at the break.  Poulin scored all 13 of his points in the half, while Smith scored 10.  The Huskies scored 18 of their 42 first-half points off of turnovers as they forced UMass Boston into 12 turnovers.

            In the second half, the Huskies outscored the Beacons 22-7 in the opening seven minutes capped by a three-pointer from senior guard Luke Pollock (Eliot, Maine/Marshwood) to lead 54-29 with 13:15 and had the game in hand.  From there the Huskies led by as many as 30 points and the Beacons never got any closer than 21 points with less than a minute to play.

            Southern Maine returns to action on Saturday (3:00 p.m.) when they travel to Eastern Connecticut State University for its final game of the season.  UMass Boston hosts Western Connecticut State University on Saturday (3:00 p.m.).

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