PLYMOUTH, N.H.  –  Dante Rivera scored a game-high 34 points to lead four players in double figures as the Plymouth State University Panthers shot an outstanding 61.4 percent (35-for-57) from the field to defeat the University of Southern Maine Huskies 99-80 in a Little East Conference men's basketball game Wednesday night at Foley Gymnasium. 

         With the win, Plymouth State improves to 7-7 overall and 2-4 in the Little East.  Southern Maine slips to 6-9 and 1-6 in the conference.  

         Rivera was 11-for-16 from the field and a remarkable 7-for-9 from three to lead all scorers. Jaylen LeRoy and Kevin Henry each had 17 points for the Panthers, while Manny Alisandro had a double-double with 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. 

         Southern Maine had five players reach double-digits in scoring.  Sophomore Jacobe Thomas (Houston, Texas/Davis) led USM with 23 points, six rebounds and four assists.  Junior DJ Anderson (Houston, Texas/Davis) added 14 points and seven rebounds off of the bench on 5-of-8 shooting, including a 2-for-3 mark from three.  Seniors Derek Haney (Auburn, Calif./Placer) and Jaire Roberts (Warrenton, Va.) and freshman Cody Hawes (Hermon, Maine) each had 10 points.  Hawes was 3-for-4 from the field with a 2-for-3 effort from distance, adding a pair of steals. 

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

• In a close opening seven minutes, USM's Anderson had the Huskies within a point, 14-13, with 13:34 on the clock before Rivera canned the first of seven threes to ignite a 10-0 run to put PSU ahead 24-13 with 11:13 to play. 
• After the 10-0 spurt, the Panthers stayed hot and grew its lead to 42-25 with five minutes to play on back-to-back layups from Alisandro. Down by 17, USM clawed its way back into the game however to trail by eight, 48-40, with 1:00 remaining in the half thanks to a 15-6 run. Haney, Hawes and Anderson each scored five points in the run for USM. Rivera hit a three on PSU's next possession and USM had a pair of free throws before time expired as the Panthers led 51-42 at the half. 
• Both teams exchanged baskets in the second half with the Panthers maintaining a comfortable double-digit lead.  Up by 13, 73-60, with 9:38 to play after a USM layup from Thomas, Plymouth State Rivera connected on five straight points for the Panthers and USM was unable to get closer than 15 the rest of the way. 

INSIDE THE HUSKY STATS: 

• Thomas reached the 300-point mark for the Huskies this season and now has 310 points in 14 games. He is averaging 22.1 points per game.

 UP NEXT: 

         Southern Maine hosts Eastern Connecticut State on Saturday (3:00 pm) in a Little East Conference game. 

–cac–