Box Score GORHAM, Maine - Senior Jake Laga (Northampton, Mass.) scored 22 points, including an outstanding 6-for-8 effort from three-point range to lead the UMass Dartmouth Corsairs to a 64-59 win over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a Little East Conference men's basketball game Saturday afternoon at Hill Gymnasium.
With the win, UMass Dartmouth remains undefeated in the Little East improving to 3-0 and 7-6 overall. Southern Maine falls to 3-10 and 0-3 in the Little East.
Trailing by three, 59-56, after Southern Maine junior Cole Libby (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle) with 3:43 remaining in regulation, Laga was clutch for the Corsairs sinking back-to-back three-pointers to vault his team into the lead. Laga hit his fifth three of the game at the three-minute mark to pull UMD even with the Huskies, and then drained the go-ahead basket with 2:05 to play from the baseline on an assist from junior Jordan Rezendes (Onset, Mass./Wareham). Laga's sixth three of the game proved to be the game-winner despite a few good looks for the Huskies in the final moments. Rezendes sealed the victory for USM sinking a pair of free throws with 11 seconds on the clock.
Laga was 8-for-12 from the field overall, adding four rebounds, two assists and a steal. Rezendes was the only other Corsiar in double-figures with 16 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
Junior Jacob Littlefield (Mechanic Falls, Maine/Poland Regional) led all scorers with 28 points. Littlefield continued his hot shooting, sinking 12-of-21 from the field, adding a team-high eight rebounds. Sophomore Fred Knight (Hampden, Maine/Hampden Academy) had eight points and seven rebounds, while classmate Zach Leal (York, Maine) added seven points and five rebounds. Libby finished with six points, five boards, three assists and three steals.
Southern Maine hosts Rhode Island College on Tuesday (7:30 p.m.). UMass Dartmouth travels to Eastern Connecticut on Tuesday (7:30 p.m.).
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