WILLAMANTIC, Conn. –  Meikyle Murray scored 21 points in the second half and the Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors used a 44-point second half to erase a 10-point halftime deficit en route to a 75-61 win over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a Little East Conference men's basketball game Saturday afternoon at Geissler Gymansium.
 
Murray finished with a game-high 28 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Warriors to victory. Murray was 10-for-14 from the field, and added three assists and four steals.  
 
The Records: 
Southern Maine (9-13, 4-9 Little East)
Eastern Connecticut (15-7, 10-4 Little East)
 
Series History:  Tonight's game marked the 84th meeting between the two schools.  With tonight's win, the Warriors now lead the series 54-30.  
 
Standout Huskies:  Sophomore Trevor Ward 20 points, 3 rebounds, one assist; sophomore Chance Dixon 14 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist; junior Cody Hawes  9 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals.
 
Standout Warriors:  Meikyle Murray 28 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals; Jalen Williams 13 points; Thomas Close 10 points; Max Lee 8 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals.
 
How It Happened: 

• Ahead from the opening tip on two free throws from Hawes and leading by as many as 17 points, 34-17, with 5:28 remaining in the opening half following a three from Dixon, Southern Maine took a comfortable 41-31 lead into the halftime break. Ward scored 16 of his team-high 20 in the opening half, while Hawes scored each of his nine.
• Southern Maine remained in front and led 48-37 after a layup from junior Marcus Christopher ( at the 16:11 mark, but ECSU rattled off an 15-3 run over the next seven minutes to surge ahead 52-51 with 9:21 to play.  Murray's three at the 9:21 mark gave Warriors their first lead of the game. 
• Husky freshman Michael Connolly responded with a traditional three-point play for a 54-52 lead with 8:51 on the clock, but Murray's three at the 7:44 mark gave the Warriors the lead for good and started a pivotal 8-0 spurt that gave the Warriors a 60-54 lead with 5:59 to play.
• Ward cut the USM deficit to four, 60-56, on the next play but ECSU closed out the game on a 15-5 run for the final.

 
Inside the Stats: 

• Ward's 20 points are a season and career-high. He was 7-for-13 from the field and 3-for-5 from three-point range. It is the eighth time this season that he has reached double-digits in scoring.
• Dixon's 14 points marked the 13^th time this season that he has reached double-digits in scoring.  He has 64 three-point field goals this season which are tied for 10^th in single-season records. Dixon is shooting 37.9 percent (64-for-169) from long range.

 
Up Next: 
Southern Maine remains in Little East Conference hosts Eastern Connecticut State on Monday (7:30 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!
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