GORHAM, Maine  –  Senior Victoria Harris (Altus, Okla./Lewiston) had a monster double-double with 19 points, 13 rebounds, one steal, one block and one assist to lead four players in double-figures as the University of Southern Maine Huskies defeated the UMass Boston Beacons 66-62 in a Little East Conference women's basketball game Wednesday night at Hill Gymnasium.
 
Harris had seven offensive boards, helping USM scored 17 second-chance points and to a 42-36 advantage on the glass.   
 
The Records: 
UMass Boston (7-13, 6-8 Little East)
Southern Maine (7-15, 6-7 Little East)
 
Series History:  Today's game was the 81st meeting between the Huskies and the Beacons. Southern Maine leads the series 71-10.  With the win, Southern Maine earns the 2021-22 series split. UMass Boston won the first game of the series vs. Southern Maine 65-58.
 
Standout Huskies:  Senior Victoria Harris (Altus, Okla./Lewiston) 19 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block; senior Michelle Rowe (Gorham, Maine) 15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists; graduate student Jackie Luckhardt (Londonderry, N.H.) 13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals; freshman Maria Degifico (South Portland, Maine) 12 points, 2 assists, 2 steals.
 
Standout Beacons:  Sophomore Jasharee Greene (Boston, Mass./New Misson) 19 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block; senior Meg Dixon (Hanover, Mass.) 13 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals; junior Keriann Farina (Arlington, Mass.) 12 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists; sophomore Vienna Monestime (Framingham, Mass.) 11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks.
 
How It Happened: 

• Down 37-31 at the half, Southern Maine took the next two quarters from the Beacons outscoring UMB 35-25.
• The Huskies started off the third quarter fast with a 10-3 run to take a marginal 41-40 lead with 6:00 to play in the third.  Harris started the run with a strong move in the paint on the Huskies first possession.  UMB scored the next three on a jumper from Farina and a free throw for a 40-33 lead.
• The Huskies scored the next eight unanswered on two free throws from Harris, a jumper from Rowe, a jumper from Degifico on a kickout from Harris and a pair of free throws from Rowe for the lead.
• The Beacons' Greene answered right back and both teams settled into a back-and-forth contest.  Monestime tied the game up at 46 with 2:55 to play in the quarter before the Huskies' Degifico closed out the quarter outscoring the Beacons 5-2 on a three and a layup for a 51-48 USM lead headed to the fourth.
• The game remained a one-possession game to start the fourth.  Monestime made it a two-point game 53-51 with 6:29 to go with one of two free throws.  The Huskies were able to create separation over the next three minutes using the offensive glass for a 61-51 lead with 3:41 to play.
• Degifico made one of two free throws after getting fouled grabbing an offensive board to start a pivotal 8-0 run for USM.  Degifico's rebounding again led to points, as Harris finished a traditional three-point play for a 4-0 swing.  Another offensive board, this time from Harris led to a pair of free throws before Degifico came up with a steal and a score for the 61-51 lead.
• UMB rallied however with a 9-2 run and trailed 63-60 with 41 seconds to play.  Monestime scored six of the Beacons' nine points on the run.
• With its lead cut to a single possession, was able to get 3-of-4 from the line from Rowe for the 66-62 final. Rowe finished the game 9-of-10 from the line.

 
Inside the Stats: 

• USM's Luckardt playing in her 107^th career game has 971 points, 534 rebounds, 325 assists, and 309 steals in her career. Luckhardt has a team-leading 52 steals this season.
• Harris' double-double was the sixth of the 2021-2022 season, and the 11^th of her career.  She has 899 points, 469 points, 90 blocks, 137 steals and 65 assists in her career (80 games). 
• Degifico's 12 points are a season and career-high for the 5-5 rookie guard.  She was 5-for-10 from the field.

 
Up Next: 
Southern Maine remains in Little East Conference action and travels to Western Connecticut State University on Saturday (1:00 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!