GORHAM, Maine  - Senior Tamrah Gould (Manchester, N.H./Manchester Memorial) scored a game-high 21 points on 7-for-11 shooting to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 53-43 win over the Plymouth State University Panthers in a Little East Conference women's basketball game Wednesday night at Foley Gymnasium. 
 
On an off shooting night for both squads, Gould was locked in scoring eight of the Huskies' 12 points in the fourth quarter as Southern. Maine pulled away for the win.  Senior Tara Flanders (Windham, Maine) had seven points, while seniors Amy Fleming (Berwick, Maine/Noble) and Liz Cote (Conway, N.H./Kennett) each had six points.  Fleming added six rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots. Senior Megan King (Derry, N.H.) snagged a game-high nine rebounds.
 
Brianna Wilcox led the way for the Panthers with 13 points, seven rebounds and four steals.  Lea Crompton added nine points, four rebounds, two assists, a blocked shot and a steal.
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The Records:
Southern Maine (8-9, 6-2 Little East)
Plymouth State University (7-8, 3-4 Little East)
 
Today's game marked the 99^th meeting between the University of Southern Maine Huskies and the Plymouth State University Panthers.  Southern Maine leads the overall series 91-8, and has won the last 11 games against the Panthers.  The Huskies swept PSU 68-53 (February 8, 2023) and 68-46 (January 4, 2023) last season.  
 
How It Happened:

• In a low-scoring opening quarter, PSU scored the first five points of the game on a jumper from Crompton and a three from Wilcox before the Huskies to outscore the Panther 10-4 to close out the first and hold a slim 10-9 lead. King led the way for USM scoring all four of her points in the first. Both teams combined for five total field goals in the first, shooting 20.0 percent.
• Scoring opened up a bit in the second, but the game remained close. Southern Maine led 15-14 after one of two free throws from Flanders at the 5:22 mark before Cote knocked down back-to-back threes to sandwich a triple from PSU's Lauren Keller for a 21-17 Husky advantage at the 4:06 mark.
• Crompton hit a three for PSU to make it a one-point game again, 21-20 (USM), with 3:04 to play, but sophomore Julia Kratzer (Gorham, Maine) hit a rainbow three from the corner and sophomore Vanessa Vaughan (Hantsport, Nova Scotia) made a tough bucket in the paint for a 26-20 USM lead with 2:04 on the clock. Both teams exchanged baskets to close the half and USM led 28-22 on a jumper from Fleming to start the third.
• Both teams were cold again from the floor, combing for six field goals in the third.  The Panthers outscored USM 15-13 in the third. Gould carried the Huskies in the third, scoring nine points, wihle Crompton scored four of the Panthers' 13 points in the frame. Panther Ashley Stevens had two free throws with 19 seconds left to make it a two-possession game, 41-37, headed into the fourth.
• After a Husky turnover to start the fourth, PSU made it a two-point game, 41-39, following two free throws from Keller with 9:24 to play.  However, the Huskies were able to regain their footing on back-to-back scores from Gould and Fleming for a 45-39 cushion. Three unanswered points from Stephens cut into the Husky lead again, 45-42, with 7:22 to play, but the Panthers would never get closer.
• PSU trailed 47-43 converting one-of-two free throws with 4:07 to play, but USM's Gould outscored the Panthers 6-0 the rest of way for the 53-43 final.

 
Inside The Stats:

•  Tonight's game marked the third straight game that Gould has scored in double-digits for the Huskies, and the second time this season she has scored 20 or more points. In LEC play, Gould is averaging 12.5 points per game.   

• King's nine rebounds are a season-best, and one shy of her career-best.
• ­Southern Maine shot 32.1 percent (17-for-53) from the field. The Huskies shot at least 40 percent in the second and fourth quarter, but were in the 20s for the first and third.  Plymouth State shot 23.9 percent (11-for-46) from the field, and made just one field goal in the fourth quarter. 

 
Up Next:
The Huskies return home on Saturday, January 20 (1:00 pm) hosting Keene State College.  Southern Maine is then on the road for its next two LEC contest, traveling to No. 3 Rhode Island College on Wednesday, January 24 (5:30 pm) and then to Eastern Connecticut State University on Saturday, January 27 (1:00 pm). 
 
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