GORHAM, Maine   –  Jaire Roberts (Warrenton, Va.) had a game-high 22 points, including six three-pointers, to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 75-57 win over the Castleton University Spartans in a Little East Conference men's basketball game Saturday afternoon at Hill Gymnasium.

         With the win, Southern Maine improves to 11-12 overall and 6-9 in the Little East.  Castleton dips to 3-20 and 2-12 in conference action.  The Huskies shot 41.3 percent from the field (26-for-63) and was 42.1 percent from three-point range (16-for-38) in the win.

         Roberts finished the game 8-for-18 from the floor, and 6-for-14 from three, adding seven rebounds and five assists.  Senior Derek Haney (Auburn, Calif.) added 15 points, on 3-of-7 from three-point range, five rebounds and three assists.  Sophomore Jacobe Thomas (Houston, Texas) had eight points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals.  Junior DJ Anderson (Houston, Texas) came off the bench for nine points on 3-of-4 shooting from long ragne. 

         Amadou Diakite led Castleton with 21 points, making 8-of-17 from the field.  He had five rebounds.  Terrin Roy was 5-for-9 off of the bench with three three-pointers for 15 points.  Oluwadare Sowunmi led all rebounders with a game-high 12, including five offensive boards. 

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

•  USM led wire-to-wire scoring the first 11 points of the contest as Roberts started out red hot with a long jumper and a three.  Haney connected on a three of his own from the corner, before Roberts hit an NBA-range three with 16:57 left on the clock for an 11-0 Husky lead. 
• Castleton scored the next five points on buckets from Belade and a three from LeCours, but USM doubled up the Spartans, 24-12, with 8:07 to play on a three from Anderson to seize control. 
• Belade made it a 10-point margin for the Spartans with a three at the 6:17 mark to trail 26-16, but it was the final basket of the half for Castleton as the Huskies closed the half on a 10-0 run to lead 36-16 at the break. The Spartans were 0-for-6 from the field during the stretch, and had a pair of turnovers.  Roberts closed the 10-0 Husky run with back-to-back threes to end the half with 14 points. 
• The Huskies remained comfortably in front of the Spartans in the second half.  Roy had back-to-back threes for the Spartans to make it a 15-point game, 57-42, but USM quickly responded with a 9-4 run to return to a 20-point advantage, 66-44, on a layup from Roberts. 
• Husky senior Bailey van Hout hit back-to-back threes for the Huskies in the closing two minutes with his second giving USM a 74-54 lead with under a minute to play before Diakite his a three for the Spartans in their final possession for the 74-57 final. 

UP NEXT: 

         Southern Maine remains in Little East Conference action and travels to UMass Dartmouth on Saturday (3:00 pm). 

–cac–