Box Score GORHAM, Maine – Sophmore Taje Burston (Springfield, Mass./Springfield Central) went 3-for-4 from the free throw line and came up with a critical steal in the final seconds of regulation to lead the UMass Boston Beacons to a 62-60 win over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a Little East Conference women's basketball game Tuesday night at Hill Gymnasium.
The win is the first in program history for the Beacons over the Huskies, making the series record between the two schools now 67-1 in favor of USM. The Beacons are now 16-8 overall and 8-5 in the Little East. UMB's 16 wins are a school record. USM falls to 12-12 overall and 8-5 in the LEC.
Burston finished with 10 points, four assists and two steals while playing all 40 minutes for the Beacons. Junior Olivia Murphy (Canton, Mass.) and senior Kirsten Morrison (North Reading, Mass.) each scored 12 points to lead the Beacons, while Murphy had a game-high nine rebounds. Freshman Katie Mathieu (Coventry, Conn./East Catholic) added 10 points.
Senior Stephanie Gallagher (York, Maine) and junior Ella Ramonas (Portland, Maine/Deering) each scored 17 points a piece to lead USM. Gallagher matched her career-high in points knocking down four three-pointers. She added seven rebounds and three assists. Ramonas was a perfect 11-for-11 from the free throw line, adding seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. Senior Taylor Flood (Sanford, Maine) and junior Megan Pelletier (Winslow, Maine/Messalonskee) each had seven points.
Trailing 33-28 at the break, Southern Maine surged ahead of the Beacons in the second half using 19-4 run in the first eight minutes of the second half. Gallagher scored five of her 17 points in the run, while Flood scored all seven of her points to put the Huskies ahead 47-37 with 12:17 left to play.
UMass Boston responded, however, with an 11-2 run over the next four minutes to pull to within a point of the Huskies 49-48 with 8:02 to play. Four different players scored for the Beacons in the run, which was capped by a layup from Murphy. Both teams exchanged a set of free throws over the next several possessions, and the Beacons remained behind the Huskies by a point, 51-50, after a pair of free throws from Mathieu. A Husky miss led to the next Beacons possession and Mathieu canned a three at the 4:24 mark to give the Beacons a 53-51 lead. Another Husky miss and Morrison added to the Beacons lead with a layup for a 55-51 UMB lead with 3:35 left on the clock.
The Beacons remained in front and led by 58-53 with just under two minutes to play before the Huskies' Ramonas scored five straight points to knot the game up at 58-58 with 1:02 on the clock. Ramonas started the run, knocking down a pair of free throws and then converted an assist from Gallagher for the hoop and the harm.
After a UMB turnover, USM had a shot to take the lead but committed an offensive miscue itself before sending Burston to the line with 27 seconds to play. Burston made one-of-two for a 59-58 Beacon and the Huskies again had a chance to take the lead but had another costly turnover as Burston stole the ball. Sent to the line again, Burston made both and the Huskies were able to get to within one with seconds to play, but it was too little too late as Murphy closed out the game making a free throw for the 62-60 final.
Southern Maine closes out its regular season on the road at Eastern Connecticut on Saturday (1:00 p.m.) in an LEC match up. The Little East Conference playoffs begins on Tuesday (tba).
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