WATERVILLE, Maine – Four players scored in double-figures and the University of Southern Maine Huskies nearly shot 50 percent from the field for the game to earn a 74-71 win over the Colby College Mules in a non-conference men's basketball game Tuesday night at the Margaret M. Crook Center.
 
The win is the first in five games for the Huskies over the Mules. Sophomore Chance Dixon (Lake Worth, Fla./Santaluces) led USM with 20 points, while junior Marcus Christopher (Skowhegan, Maine) had a double-double with 10 points and a team-high 12 rebounds. 
 
The Records: 
Southern Maine (5-4)
Colby (4-2)
 
Series History: Playing each other for the 68^th time in series history, USM is earning the win for the first time since the 2017-18 season, and stops a four-game slide to the Mules.  Colby leads the series 16-42.

Standout Huskies:  Sophomore Chance Dixon (Lake Worth, Fla./Santaluces) 20 points (8-for-14), 6 rebounds, 2 steals; sophomore Trevor Ward (West Park, Fla.) 18 points, 6 rebounds; junior Cody Hawes (Carmel, Maine/Hermon) 11 points  (5-for-9), 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block; junior Marcus Christopher (Skowhegan, Maine) 10 points, 12 rebounds.
 
Standout Mules: Will King 22 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocked shots; Jack Lawson 19 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists; Kyle Butler 11 points, 5 rebounds.
 
How It Happened: 

• Southern Maine scored the first seven points of the game and never trailed to earn the win over the Mules. However, despite the early run, USM led Colby by just a single possession, 30-28, with 2:24 remaining in the half.  The Huskies closed out the half outscoring Colby 7-4, using a three from Dixon and key baskets from reserves Simon Chadbourne and John Martin to lead 37-32 at the break.
• In the second half, Hawes led the way for USM scoring all 11 of his points, including the go-head basket to give USM a 71-69 lead with 44 seconds remaining in the contest.
• Shooting a solid 46.9 percent (15-for-32) from the field in the second half, Southern Maine led by as many as 10 points, 58-48, on a pair of free throws from Ward (10:55). However, the Mules stormed back to within a possession on a 10-2 run.  King scored a basket in the paint to make it 60-58 with 7:49 to play.
• With their lead cut to a basket, USM responded with back-to-back layups from Hawes and Christopher to make it 64-58 (7:00).  After exchanging baskets, Christopher gave USM a two possession lead, 66-60, before Colby ran off 9-3 run to tie the game at 69-69 with just over a minute remaining.  Four different players scored for Colby in the run.
• On the Huskies' next possession, Hawes made his fifth field goal of the half to put the Huskies up 71-69.  Christopher snagged a key defensive rebound for USM to clear the board on Colby's next possession and USM closed the game out on the free throw line for the 74-71 win.

 
Inside the Stats: 

•  Dixon has scored in double-digits in the last six games for the Huskies. 
• Christopher has hit double-digits in rebounds in three games this season.  Tonight's double-double is the first of the 2021-22 season and second of his career.

 
Up Next: 
Southern Maine remains on the road and will begin its Little East Conference schedule at Keene State College on Saturday (3:00 pm).
 
 Southern Maine Athletics has gone to fully digital game programs, please click this link to access the game programs to future Husky home events!
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