Box Score GORHAM, Maine – Senior Erin McNamara (West Newbury, Mass./Pentucket Regional) and juniors Rebecca Knight (Alfred, Maine/McAuley) and Abby Hasson (South Portland, Maine) combined for 42 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 74-54 win over the Bates College Bobcats in a non-conference women's basketball game Tuesday night at Hill Gymnasium.
Southern Maine improves to 3-2 with the win, snapping a two-game slide. Bates drops its second straight game to fall to 3-3. The Huskies lead the all-time series between the two schools 39-10.
Knight posted her second double-double of the season scoring 13 points and grabbing a game and career-high 15 rebounds to pace the Huskies. Knight added five assists and was 6-for-12 from the field. McNamara was 7-for-11 from the field scoring a team-high 15 points while handing out five assists. Hasson was 6-for-7 from the field for 14 points and six rebounds in a strong effort off of the bench.
Bates' senior Meredith Kelly (Cohasset, Mass.) scored a game-high 20 points, while sophomore Allaina Murphy (Poland Spring, Maine/Saint Dominic Academy) chipped in with 10 points. Sophomore Chelsea Nason (Boxford, Mass./Masconomet) had six points and a team-high 10 rebounds.
After yielding the first two points of the game to Bates, Southern Maine ran off a 15-4 run to grab a 15-6 lead with 13:40 to play and never trailed the rest of the way. McNamara to control of the game scoring eight of her 15 points in the opening 6:20 of the game as the Huskies connected on seven of their first eight field goals.
The Bobcats pulled to within three, 19-16, countering with a 10-4 run over the next three minutes, capped by a steal and a layup from Kelly, but USM outscored Bates 23-13 to close out the half ahead by a comfortable 42-29 margin.
Southern Maine put its stamp on the game opening the second half on an 11-3 run to grab its largest lead of the game, 53-32, with 16:01 to play. Knight had four points, four rebounds and a pair of assists in the run. The Huskies never led the Bobcats closer than 17 points the rest of the game and led Bates by as many as 24 points late in the half.
Southern Maine finished the game shooting 60.0 percent (33-for-55) from the field. The Huskies also had a 41-26 advantage on the boards. Bates shot 36.4 percent (18-for-57) from the field.
Southern Maine travels to St. Joseph's College (Maine) on Sunday (5:30 p.m.). Bates College hosts UMaine Machias on Monday (6:00 p.m.).
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