Box Score GORHAM, Maine – Senior Erin McNamara (West Newbury, Mass./Pentucket Regional) scored a game-high 17 points and added six assists to lead four players in double figures as the University of Southern Maine downed the UMass Dartmouth Corsairs 78-56 in a Little East Conference women's basketball game Saturday afternoon at Hill Gymnasium.
With their second straight win, Southern Maine improves to 9-4 overall and 2-1 in the Little East Conference. Suffering their second straight loss in conference action, UMass Dartmouth dips to 7-5 overall and 1-2 in the LEC.
McNamara was 3-for-6 from three points range and 7-for-19 overall to lead the Huskies. Sophomores Megan Pelletier (Winslow, Maine/Messalonskee) and Gretchen Anderson (Kittery Point, Maine/St. Thomas Aquinas) each scored 14 points, while senior Hannah Fenwick (Topsham, Maine/Mt. Ararat) came off the bench to score 12 points and grab seven rebounds. Anderson and Fenwick each record career-highs in points, while Pelletier added a team-best eight rebounds.
Corsair senior Erika Bornemann (Canton, Mass.) posted a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double in the losing effort. Junior Kelsey Garrity (Somerville, Mass.) tossed in 11 points adding three assists.
Bornemann scored the opening basket of the game to give the Corsairs a 2-0 lead, but it was quickly erased as McNamara canned the first of three three-pointers to give the Huskies' the lead following a steal and an assist from senior guard Mariah Callendar (Portland, Maine). The game was nip and tuck in the opening minutes and USM led 14-12 with 13:28 on the clock after a three from Beth Castini, before the Huskies' created some separation with a 8-0 run to lead 22-12 with 9:50 to play. Pelletier had three points and three rebounds in the run, while sophomore Jill Madden (North Andover, Mass.) sank a three and Fenwick chipped in with a strong move in the paint for two points.
The Corsairs got to within nine on one of two free throws from Castini, but USM again responded with a run closing out the half outscoring UMD 18-8. Anderson was the key for the Huskies scoring 10 of her 14 points in the final nine minutes of the half.
Pelletier took over for the Huskies in opening minutes of the second half five straight points, including a traditional three-point play, as USM grabbed a 46-24 lead with 18:14 to play. The Huskies remained comfortably ahead of the Corsairs for the remainder of the game. UMass Dartmouth did pull to within 15 of the Huskies on three occasions and trailed 52-37 with 12:14 to play after a jumper from Garrity. However, Southern Maine quelled any thoughts of a comeback with a 10-2 run to lead 62-39 with 7:51 to play. McNamara, Fenwick and freshman Jordan Knowlton (Rockport, Maine/Camden Hills) each scored for the Huskies in the run. From there, USM never led by less than 20 points and led by as many as 29 (77-48) late in the contest to earn the win.
Southern Maine travels to Rhode Island College for its next contest on Tuesday (5:30 p.m.).
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