GORHAM, Maine – Senior
Liz Cote (Conway, N.H./Kennett) drained six three-pointers and scored a game-high 22 points to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 74-56 win over the UMaine Farmington Beavers in a non-conference women's basketball game Wednesday night at Hill Gymnasium.
Cote was 8-for-13 from the field, including 6-for-10 from three as one of two Huskies in double figures. Cote added sevens and an assist. Senior
Tara Flanders (Windham, Maine) record her second double-double with 13 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Senior
Tamrah Gould (Manchester, N.H.) added nine points, three assists and three steals, while sophomore
Mackenzie Roderick (South China, Maine/Erskine Academy) and senior
Franny Ramsdell (Wells, Maine) each had eight points. Junior
Jade Smedberg (Oxford, Maine/Oxford Hills) had seven points, four rebounds, four steals and three assists.
Jessica Dow led UMF with 12 points, three rebounds and three assists. Jacqui Hamilton added nine points, while Melissa Mayo, Jaycie Stevens and Sarah Poli each had eight points. Stevens and Poli each snagged five rebounds.
The Records:
UMaine Farmington (2-6)
Southern Maine (2-5)
Today's game marked the 58
th meeting between the UMaine Farmington Beavers and the University of Southern Maine Huskies. Southern Maine leads the overall series 46-12, and earned a 65-49 win over UMF last season on November 30, 2022. The Huskies have won 16 consecutively over UMaine Farmington dating back to the 2000-2001 season.
How It Happened:
- Up 11-10 with just under four minutes to play in the first quarter, Southern Maine outscored UMF 7-4 to take an 18-14 lead into the second quarter. Cote canned her second three of the game to push USM up 14-10 before Roderick scored the Huskies' final four points on a pair of free throws and a jumper.
- Midway through the second the contest remained a two-possession game in favor of the Huskies, 24-20, with 5:25 to play. The Huskies' ballooned their lead to 31-23 with a quick 7-3 swing on two free throws from senior Megan King (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy), a layup from Gould and a three from Flanders with 3:48 on the clock. Both teams combined for five total points in the closing minutes of the half – a three from Mayo from UMF and two free throws from Gould for USM – for a 33-26 Husky lead at the break.
- Cote started red hot to start the third quarter scoring all eight of the Huskies points, including back-to-back threes, in an 8-2 run in the first 90 seconds of the frame to push USM's lead to 41-28 with 8:23 to play. However, UMaine Farmington clawed its way back into the game outscoring USM 11-1 over the next three minutes and 27 seconds. Dow scored five of the Beavers' five points in the stretch as UMF trailed 42-39 with 4:56 to play.
- With its lead cut to a possession, Southern Maine responded closing out the third on a 12-1 run to take a commanding 54-42 lead headed into the fourth. Five different players scored for the Huskies in the pivotal run, led by four points from Roderick.
- Southern Maine continued to click offensively in the fourth outscoring UMF 14-7 in the first five minutes to take its largest lead 68-49 with 5:11 remaining. Smedberg, freshman Campbell Doughty (Ashland, Va./Hanover) each hit threes in the run, while Ramsdell had four points.
- UMF cut its deficit to 12, 68-56, converting at the free throw line, including a traditional three-point play from Sarah Poli at 2:56, but the Huskies held the Beavers scoreless the rest of the way and added six more points, including a three from Cote for the final.
Inside The Stats:
- Cote's six threes is tied for sixth in single game records at Southern Maine. Her 22 points are a career-high.
- The Huskies shot 39.3 percent (24-for-61) for the game, including an outstanding 7-for-11 mark in the fourth quarter. UMF shot 41.2 percent (21-for-51) for the contest. Southern Maine had a 17-for-23 effort from the free throw line, while UMF was 10-for-18.
Up Next:
Southern Maine returns on the road at Keene State on Saturday, December 2 (1:00 pm). The Huskies are back at home on Wednesday, December 6 (5:30 pm) against nationally-ranked Little East opponent Rhode Island College. USM remains at home on Saturday, December 9 (1:00 pm) against Eastern Connecticut.
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