Box Score GORHAM, Maine – Sophomore Grace Geary (Falmouth, Mass./North Quincy) scored a game-high 33 points, and hit the game-winning free throw with one second remaining in regulation, to lift the UMass Boston Beacons to a 69-68 win over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a Little East Conference women's basketball game Wednesday night at Fifield Court.
With the win, UMass Boston improves to 13-9 overall and 5-6 in the Little East. USM has dropped its last two game, and is now 12-10 overall and 6-5 in the Little East.
Geary was 10-for-18 from the field and 11-for-15 from the free throw line en route to her career-high 33 points. Her 33 points also tied the UMB women's basketball single-game record. Senior Olivia Murphy (Canton, Mass.) racked up a double-double with 16 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Southern Maine seniors Megan Pelletier (Winslow, Maine/Messalonskee) and Ella Ramonas (Portland, Maine/Deering) led the Huskies. Pelletier scored 20 points, grabbed eight rebounds, had three assists, two blocked shots and two steals, while Ramonas added 16 points and five rebounds. Sophomore Kayla Stacy (Auburn, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) added nine points and four assists, while classmate Miranda Nicely (Farmington, Maine/Mt. Blue) added eight points off of the bench.
In a closely played game, Southern Maine trailed the Beacons by three with six seconds on the clock. After a timeout, the Huskies perfectly executed an inbounds play to find Ramonas at the top of the three for the game-tying bucket. With just seconds on the clock, the Beacons then inbounded the ball and junior Taje Burston (Springfield, Mass.) hit Geary in stride with the pass. Geary drove towards the hoop and drew the foul with 0.9 seconds on the clock. She hit the first and intentionally missed the second for the win.
Southern Maine hosts Rhode Island College on Saturday (1:00 p.m.) in a Little East Conference game. UMass Boston travels to Plymouth State (1:00 p.m.). With three LEC games remaining in the regular season, USM is in fourth and is fighting for a home playoff berth.
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