GORHAM, Maine   – Sophomore Chantel Eells (Turner, Maine/Leavitt) had her fourth double-double in six games, and third consecutive double-double, with 14 points and a career-high 15 rebounds to lead a balanced offense as the University of Southern Maine Huskies defeated Keene State College Owls 55-33 in a Little East Conference women's basketball game Saturday afternoon at Hill Gymnasium.

            The win improves Southern Maine's record to 10-9 overall and 7-2 in the Little East Conference. USM is 5-2 at home this season.  KSC drops to 3-16 overall and 1-8 in the conference. The Huskies will face Colby College at home on Tuesday (5:30 p.m.) in a non-conference game.

            In a physical game, Eells was able to convert from the free throw line, making 10-of-11.  Eells had eight offensive boards en route to her career-best 15, helping Southern Maine to a 54-43 advantage on the glass.  Freshman Morgan Eliasen (Lewiston, Maine) came off the bench for a career-best eight points, finishing 4-for-8 from the field, while classmate Kristen Curley (Gorham, Maine) chipped in with seven points, seven rebounds, two steals and an assist.  Seniors Emily Nicholson (Quispamsis, New Brunswick/Kennebecasis) and Miranda Nicely (Farmington, Maine/Mt. Blue), juniors Kimberly Howrigan (Fairfield, Vt./Bellows Free Academy) and Seve Deery-DeRaps (Rangeley, Maine/Rangeley Lakes Regional) each scored five points. 

            Tamra Gonyea had 12 points for the Owls making 5-of-9 from the field, adding six rebounds and an assist. Emily McPadden added seven points, and Kenzie Benett had a team-high nine rebounds.

            Ahead 6-4 after a jumper from Alexa Srolovitz (Montreal, Quebec/New Hampton School (NH)) midway through the opening quarter, USM overcame a slow start outscoring KSC 10-5 to take a 16-9 lead into the second quarter. KSC cut the Huskies' lead to four, 13-9, on a three from McPadden with six seconds left, but Nicholson drained a deep buzzer-beating three for the 16-9 score.  On a sluggish shooting night for both teams, USM outpaced KSC 12-4 in the second quarter to take a 28-13 lead at the half. The Huskies scored the first 10 points of the quarter unanswered led by four points from Eells.

            In the third, USM limited the Owls to just one field goal, a three from Sandi Purcell in the opening 40 seconds, and outscored KSC 18-3 to take a commanding 46-16 lead, heading into the fourth.  Eliasen had six of her eight points in the quarter, while Curley added five. USM remained comfortably in front the rest of the game, and led by as many as 27 with two minutes on the clock, en route to the 55-33 victory.

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