With the win, the Huskies' avenged a 56-50 loss to the Panthers earlier in the season and improves to 5-17 overall and 2-9 in the Little East. Plymouth State drops to 7-15 with the loss and 2-8 in the LEC.

            Libby was 5-for-10 from the field en route to his team-high 17, addigin four rebounds and three assists.  Junior Jacob Littlefield (Mechanic Falls, Maine/Poland Regional) added 15 points on 7-for-14 adding three assists. Junior Alex Fraser (Portland, Maine/Cheverus) added a career-high 14 points for the Huskies.  Fraser was 4-for-7 from the three-point line addding a team-high eight rebounds in a strong effort.

            Sophomore Jack Preston (Nashua, N.H./Nashua South) led the Panthers with a game-high 18 points.  Preston was 8-for-13 from the field and added eight rebounds.  Senior Alex Burt (Dover, N.H.) scored 15 points.  Burt was 5-for-13 from the floor and became the Panthers' 25th men's basketball player to score 1000 point in his career.  Burt hit the milestone mark with his sixth points of the first half canning a jumper. Sophomore Curtis Arsenault (Berlin, N.H./Phillips Exeter) added 10 points. 

            In a nip and tuck first half, Southern Maine's Fraser delivered the final points, putting the Huskies ahead 32-30 at the break draining a buzzer-beating three on a drive-and-dish from Libby.  Fraser's timely three set up a fast-paced second-half effort from both squads.

            Both teams exchanged baskets in the opening five minutes of the second half, and the Panthers seemed to be grabbing momentum as Burt scored a layup and earned the traditional three-point play to give PSU a 42-40 lead with 16:25 on the clock.  However, USM put together the first run of the second half scoring 10 unanswered points to assume control.

            USM junior Aaron Toman (Gardiner, Maine) keyed the run hitting a tough turn-around baseline jumper and was followed by a three-point play from freshman Chandler Foss (Newport, Maine/Nokomis).  Fraser then scored in the paint before Libby sank a three with 12:35 to play to lift USM to a 50-42 lead. 

            PSU answered right back, however, scoring seven straight points capped by a Burt jumper to make it a 50-49 game with 11 minutes to play. With their lead threatened, the Huskies again made a run as back-to-back threes from juniors Sean Caddigan (Bethel, Maine/Telstar) and Jalen Lincoln (Nobleboro, Maine/Lincoln Academy) and four straight points from Toman made it 60-51 with 9:05 left.

            The Huskies maintained at least a two-possession lead over the next few minutes, but the Panthers did not quit making a 9-2 run under the five minute mark to pull even with USM at 64-64 with 3:34 in regulation.  The Panthers used a strong offensive rebounding effort to claw their way back into the contest led by junior Uche Nwokeji (Lynn, Mass./Lynn Classical), who finished with eight rebounds, including five offensive boards. 

            With the game in the balance, Southern Maine answered on its next possession as Littlefield canned a three after a feed from Libby and Libby made one of two free throws to push it to a 68-64 USM advantage with 2:30 to play. Exchanging baskets, Littlefield kept USM in front, 70-66, with a jumper with 49 seconds to play, before PSU's Burt made it a one-possession game sinking a pair of free throws on the Panther's next possession. 

            Trailing 70-68 with less than 30 seconds to go, PSU was forced to foul and USM missed the front end of a one-and-one returning the ball to the Panthers with a potential to tie or win the game.  Forcing the issue with another strong push on the offensive glass, PSU had three looks at the basket in the final moments, but were unable to connect as USM held for the win.

            Southern Maine travels to Rhode Island College on Saturday (3:00 p.m.) for a Little East Conference game.  Plymouth State travels to UMass Boston on Saturday (3:00 p.m.) 

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