Box Score GORHAM, Maine – Trailing by two 76-74 with 12 seconds remaining in regulation, senior Jose Nouchanthavong (Westbrook, Maine) drove to the basket and converted the traditional three-point play to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a thrilling 77-76 win over the Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors in a Little East Conference men's basketball game Saturday afternoon at Fifield Court.
Southern Maine pushes its record to 10-7 win the win and 4-3 in the Little East. Eastern Connecticut falls to 12-6 overall and suffers its first loss in LEC action to stand at 6-1. The win is the first for the Huskies over the Warriors since the 2012 season.
Nouchanthavong was one of five USM players in double figures scoring 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, adding four rebounds and three assists. Junior Atencio Martin (Kittery, Maine/Traip Academy) led all scorers with 22 points on 7-for-15 shooting, including a 4-for-6 mark from three, adding seven rebounds. Junior Zach Leal (York, Maine) had 15 points, while seniors Cole Libby (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle) and Aaron Toman (Gardiner, Maine) each scored 11 points.
Senior Trachone Preston (Enfield, Conn.) and sophomore Tarchee Brown (Rockville, Conn.) each scored 18 points to lead the Warriors. Junior Hugh Lindo (Enfield, Conn.) and senior Kevin Leumene (Stamford, Conn.) each had double-doubles for Eastern. Lindo had 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, while Leumene had 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Ahead by 11, 68-57, with 4:28 to play after a pair of free throws from Martin, Southern Maine seemed on its way to a double-digit win over the Warriors, but Eastern Connecticut fought its way back over the next two minutes to make it a one-possession game, 72-70, with 13-4 run. After Martin's free throws, Lindo scored seven of the Warriors next 13 points, including five consecutively. Leumene capped the Warriors run with an offensive rebound and put-back making it 72-70.
Having its double-digit lead trimmed to two points, USM called a timeout and Toman put the Huskies' up 74-70 with an offensive rebound and a put-back of his own, but Eastern continued to rally scoring five straight points from Brown, including a go-ahead three for a 75-74 ECSU lead with 1:01 on the clock.
A USM miss gave the Warriors the ball again with less than 30 seconds to play. Forced to foul, the Huskies sent Brown to the free throw line and he made one of two for a 76-74 lead with 26 seconds remaining. Holding for the last shot, Nouchanthavong drove the middle of the lane and flipped up a shot while getting fouled tying the game. With the game on the line, Nouchanthavong hit the go-ahead free throw, returning the ball to the Warriors with 12 seconds to play. The Warriors had a look at a potential game-winner, but Libby cleared the board defensively for the USM win.
Southern Maine remains in Little East Conference action when it travels to Plymouth State on Wednesday (7:30 p.m.). Eastern Connecticut hosts Keene State College on Wednesday (7:30 p.m.).
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