GORHAM, Maine – The University of Southern Maine Huskies' men's basketball team was chosen to finish sixth in the 2024-2025 Little East Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. Keene State College received six first place votes to finish first, followed by Western Connecticut with two first place votes in second. UMass Dartmouth received one first place vote and was chosen to finish third, while Rhode Island College and UMass Boston were picked to finish just ahead of the Huskies at fourth and fifth, respectively.
Led by first-year interim head coach Mikey Coppersmith, Southern Maine will look to a balance of returning talent and new faces for the 2024-2025 season. The Huskies return two-year starting point guard
Thomas Whelan (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep), a second-team All-Little East Conference pick during the 2023-2024 season; and a pair of savvy guards in sophomore
Justin Allen (Franklin, Mass.) and
Brady Saunders (Brewer, Maine).
Named to the All-LEC, and All-Maine Men's Basketball Coaches and Writers Association (MMBCWA) Second Team, Whelan had an outstanding second season for the Huskies averaging 16.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steal per game while shooting a team-leading 54.0 percent (162-for-300) from the field, and 38.71 percent (24-for-62) from three-point range.
Whelan finished the 2023-2024 season with 432 points, 150 rebounds, 61 assists and 38 steals and led the Huskies in blocked shots with 15.
Earning a spot on the MMBCWA All-Rookie Team, Saunders had a strong start to his intercollegiate career. Averaging 10.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game, Saunders was named the Little East Conference Rookie of the Week three times in 2023-2024, and the MMBCWA Rookie of the Week once. Scoring in double-digits in 14 games this season, Saunders had a career-high 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting in an 81-59 win over Eastern Connecticut (December 9, 2024).
Playing in 26 games as a rookie, Allen averaged 5.8 points per game, and shot a solid 44.2 percent from three-point range (42-for-95). Scoring in double-digits four times last season, Allen had a career-best 22 points in an 89-72 win on the road at Colby College. Allen was 8-for-10 from the field in the game, including an outstanding 6-for-8 from three-point range.
The Huskies start their 2024-2025 at home on Friday, November 8 (6:00 pm) against University of Maine Presque Isle. Southern Maine's first Little East Conference game is an away contest at Eastern Connecticut State University on Wednesday, December 4 (7:00 pm). During the semester break, the Huskies will head to Texas for the Concordia Classic from December 29-30.
| 2024-25 Little East Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll (FPV) |
| 1. |
Keene State |
62 points |
(6) |
| 2. |
Western Connecticut |
55 points |
(2) |
| 3. |
UMass Dartmouth |
52 points |
(1) |
| 4 |
Rhode Island College |
43 points |
|
| 5. |
UMass Boston |
31 points |
|
| 6. |
Southern Maine |
29 points |
|
| 7. |
Eastern Connecticut |
23 points |
|
| 8. |
Plymouth State |
21 points |
|
| 9. |
VTSU Castleton |
8 points |
|
-cac-
