GORHAM, Maine   –  Four players scored in double figures as the University of Southern Maine Huskies outscored the Plymouth State University Panthers 17-11 in the final five minutes of regulation to earn a 68-62 win in Little East Conference men's basketball action Wednesday night at Hill Gym in Gorham. 

         With the win Southern Maine improves to 10-12 overall and 5-9 in Little East Conference action.  Plymouth State dips to 13-9 overall and 7-6 in conference play. 

         Jaire Roberts led the Huskies with 16 points, adding six rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and a steal.  Senior Keenan Hendricks (Owls Head, Maine) had a critical 15 points off of the bench, knockgin down 3-of-5 from three-point territory, while junior Kylani Lafleur (Portsmouth, N.H.) had a neat double-double with 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.  Freshman Cameron Wood added 10 points and six rebounds. Lafleur's double-double is his third of the season. 

         Jaylen LeRoy led all scorers with 22 points for PSU.  LeRoy was 4-for-8 from three and had six rebounds for the Panthers. Dante Rivera had 14 points as the only other Panther in double figures.  Kevin Henry had nine points off of the bench, while Cody Graham scored eight as a reserve. 

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

•  PSU's LeRoy had 13 of his 22 points in the opening half, shooting 5-for-10 from the field and 3-for-5 from three to have the Panthers ahead 33-30 at the break.  PSU led by 10, 29-19, on a layup from Rivera with 4:25 to play, but USM closed out the half on an 11-4 run highlighted by a traditional three-point play from Roberts. 
• . The second half was a back-and-forth battle with both teams exchanging leads.  Henry hit a jumper for the Panthers at the 5:22 mark to knot the score up at 51. After Henry's layup, Hendricks canned a pivotal three on the Huskies' next possession igniting a 12-5 spurt.  Scoring six of USM's 12 points in the run, Hendricks helped USM to a 63-56 lead with 1:15 to play. 
• PSU's Rivera made it a four point play with an offensive rebound and a three with 1:02 to go, 63-59, but USM closed out the game at the free throw line for the 68-59 final. 

UP NEXT: 

         Southern Maine hosts Castleton University on Saturday (3:00 pm) in its regular-season home finale.  USM will be honoring its senior student-athletes prior to the game. 

–cac–