GORHAM, Maine  – Returning nine members from its regular rotation in 2021-2022, the University of Southern Maine Huskies' men's basketball team has been selected to finish eighth in the 2022-23 Little East Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. Southern Maine finished with 21 points.  Keene State College received eight first place votes and 64 points to lead the nine-team conference.  Eastern Connecticut had one first place vote and 54 points, while Western Connecticut finished third in voting with 49 points.  The top six teams at the end of the regular season advance to the Little East Conference Tournament Championship. 
 
Led by head coach Rob Sanicola, in his second season with the Huskies, Southern Maine will be led by returning student-athletes senior guards Cody Hawes (Carmel, Maine/Finance) and Jason Lombard (Anchorage, Alaska/Chugiak).  The Huskies also return strong outside shooting guards juniors Chance Dixon (Lake Worth, Fla./Santaluces) and Simone Chadbourne (Westbrook, Maine/Portland).
 
"Our nine returning student-athletes were regulars in the rotation last season, so their leadership and experience will be key headed into this season," said Sanicola.  "And, our six first-year student-athletes will play a significant role throught the year. Our success will depend on how hard we play in practice and in games.  I'm really excited for this group to realize their goals."
 
Named to both the Maine Men's Basketball Coaches & Writers Association (MMBCWA) and Little East Conference All-Defensive Team as a junior, Hawes was Southern Maine's leader in steals (48), and rebounds (200).  Averaging a team-leading 34 minutes per game, Hawes played and started in 27 games and averaged 11.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 48.4 percent from the field.
 
Shooting 49.4 percent from the field (81-for-164), Lombard averaged 7.1 points, 58 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 3.2 assists per game.  Scoring in double digits in seven games, Lombard had 12 points in USM's 68-62 play-in win over Castleton University on 5-for-6 shooting, adding 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals. 
 
Dixon shot 36.7 percent (73-for-199) from three-point range for the Huskies last season, and averaged 12.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. Scoring in double-digits in 13 games, Dixon had four games with at least 20 points, and scored a career-high 32 points against Saint Joseph's College in an 86-74 win. Dixon was lights out in the game shooting 10-for-18 (9-for-15 from three).  Dixon's nine three-pointers tied the Husky single-game record with former USM standout Joe Cawley (1988-1992). 
 
Chadbourne played in 27 games shooting 46 percent (66-for-143) from the field and 44 percent (55-for 125) from three-point territory to average 7.2 points per game.  Scoring in double-digits in eight games, Chadbourne had a season and career-high 20 points against UMass Boston shooting 7-for-10 from the field.
 
Sanicola has brought in six first-year players who are expected to make an impact in both the front and backcourt for the Huskies, including freshman guards Diego Colon (New Braunfels, Texas), Mark Asare (Roswell, Ga./Centennial), Tommy Whelan (Bronx, NY/Fordham Prep), and forwards Jacob Farnham (Solon, Maine/Mt. Blue/Hyde School), Michael Feinberg (Roswell, GA/Milton) and Joe Longoria (New Braunfels, Texas). 
 
Southern Maine opens its season on the road at University of New England in a non-conference game on Tuesday, November 8 (7:30 pm). 
 
2022-23 LEC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
1. Keene State - 64 points (8 FPV)
2. Eastern Connecticut - 54 points (1 FPV)
3. Western Connecticut - 49 points
4. UMass Dartmouth - 46 points 
5. Rhode Island College - 33 points 
6. UMass Boston - 26 points
7. Plymouth State - 21 points
8. Southern Maine - 21 points
9. Castleton - 8 points
-cac-