KEENE, N.H.  –  Senior Michelle Rowe (Gorham, Maine) scored a game and career-high 24 points and snagged seven rebounds to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 59-43 win over the Keene State College Owls in a Little East Conference women's basketball game Saturday afternoon at Spaulding Gymnasium. 
 
Rowe was an outstanding 8-for-9 from the field, and 7-for-7 from the free throw line to pace the Huskies to the victory.  Rowe along with junior Megan King (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) and senior Victoria Harris (Altus, Okla./Lewiston) helped USM to a significant 39-28 edge in rebounds.  King had a career and game-high 10 rebounds, while Harris had six.
 
The Records: 
Southern Maine (2-6, 1-0 Little East)
Keene State (3-5, 0-1 Little East)
 
Series History:  Facing each other for the 63^rd time in series history, Southern Maine leads the series 44-19.  It is the second consecutive road win at Keene State for the Huskies, who earned a 43-41 win on the road in 2020.
 
 
Standout Huskies:  Michelle Rowe 24 points (8-for-9 FG, 7-for-7 FT), 7 rebounds; Amy Fleming 9 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block; Victoria Harris 8 points, 6 rebounds; Jackie Luckhardt 6 points, 4 assists, 1 steal; Megan King 5 points, 10 rebounds,
 
Standout Owls:  Aryanna Murray 10 points, 6 rebounds; Hailey Derosia 10 points, 2 assists; Jackie Alibrandi 6 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds. .
 
How It Happened: 

• Down 5-0 early in the first, Southern Maine scored the next 12 points of the quarter unanswered to jump ahead of the Owls 12-5 with three seconds left. Keene State made it 12-8 before the second as DeRosia sank three free throws after being fouled on a last second shot.  King ignited the run for USM with a three on a feed from sophomore Amy Fleming (Berwick, Maine/Noble).  Rowe hit back-to-back jumpers, before freshman Maria Degifico (South Portland, Maine) came up with a steal and hit two free throws.  A jumper from sophomore Franny Ramsdell (Wells, Maine) made it 11-5 before graduate student Jackie Luckhardt (Londonderry, N.H.) made one of two free throws to close out the run.
• Keene scored the first seven points of the second quarter, highlighted by an opening three from Samantha Lee, to snag a 15-12 lead (7:14).  The Huskies responded, however, with back-to-back layups from Fleming and a pair of free throws from Harris to go back in front 18-15. 
• USM remained in front until late in the second when Murray canned a three to tie it up at 21-21 (2:26), but the Huskies again answered back with a traditional three-point play from Rowe, and then another set of free throws from Rowe to lead 26-21 at the half.
• In the third, USM outscored the Owls 12-4 in the first five minutes to snag its biggest lead, 38-25, with 5:26 on the clock. Rowe hit a three off of a Degifico feed for the Husky advantage.  A jumper from KSC's Kenzie Durnford made it a 10-point, 43-33, game with eight seconds left in the quarter, but Luckhardt made it 46-33 with a buzzer beating three to head into the fourth.
• USM remained in front and snagged its largest lead of the game, 53-35, at the 6:48 mark as Harris grabbed an offensive board, scored the putback and hit the free throw.  KSC went on an 8-0 run to cut its deficit to 53-43 on a jumper from Alibrandi, but USM scored the final six points of the game on a jumper from Rowe, a layup from King and a jumper from Fleming for the 59-43 final.    

 
Inside the Stats: 

• Led by Rowe's 7-for-7 effort at the free throw line, the Huskies shot 83.3 percent from the line (15-for-18).  Harris was 4-for-5.
• After today's games, Luckhardt now has 833 points, 470 rebounds, 290 assists, and 273 steals in her 66-game career. She is fifth in career steals behind Renee Nicholas '12 with had 287 from 2008-2012. 
• Harris is also closing in on milestones.  She has 707 points, 367 rebounds, 109 steals, 71 blocked shots and 46 assists in 66 games. She is averaging 11.5 points and 8.25 rebouns per game through eight games this season.

 
Up Next: 
Southern Maine will play at home for just the third time this season, hosting Rhode Island College in a Little East Conference match up on Wednesday (5:30 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!