BOSTON   -  Raphel Laurent scored a game-high 27 points and Cameron Perkins added 23 to combine for 50 of the UMass Boston Beacons 77 points in a 77-74 win over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a Little East Conference men's basketball game Wednesday night at the Clark Athletic Center Gymnasium.
 
Sophomore Noah Dowling (North Narrabeen, Australia/ Saint Augustine's (Sydney)  led three Huskies in double-figures with a team and season-high 22 points on 6-for-8 shooting, including a 4-for-6 mark from three.  Senior Thomas Whelan (Bronx, NY/Fordham Prep) had 18 points, while sophomore Evans Sterling (New Sharon, Maine/Mt. Blue) added 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds, three assists and a steal.
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The Records:
Southern Maine (3-5, 0-1 LEC)
UMass Boston (3-5, 1-0 LEC)
 
Today's contest marked the 117th meeting between the UMass Boston Beacons and the University of Southern Maine Huskies. Southern Maine leads the overall series 69-49. The Huskies and Beacons split the 2024-2025 regular season series with each team winning on the road, and the Beacons earned a 108-93 win in the LEC quarterfinals. The two teams were 5-5 in their last 10 meetings heading into tonight's game.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Trailing the Beacons, 28-25, with 7:32 remaining in the first half, Southern Maine surged ahead of UMass Boston on a 12-2 run to lead 37-30 with 3:38 to play.  The Huskies were 5-for-9 from the field during the run and where led by five points from freshman Cohen Galley (Owls Head, Maine/Kents Hill/Oceanside).
• After Sterling's three gave USM its seven-point cushion, the Beacons used two free throws from Laurent to make it a two-possession game, but Dowling responded with two points of his own, and Whelan hit a turn-around jumper to give USM a 41-32 lead with 45 seconds until the break.  Perkins converted a traditional three-point play to pull the Beacons to within six, but Whelan snagged an offensive board and scored on the layup to give the Huskies a 43-35 lead at the break.
• Exchanging baskets, the Huskies remained in front of the Beacons and led by nine, 57-48, on a turn around jumper from Carter Galley at the 12:27 mark.  However, UMass Boston outscored USM 11-3 over the next  five and a half minute to trail 60-59, with just over seven minutes in regulation.  Laurent led the way for the Beacons with seven points, including a three-point play to make it a one-point game.
• Sterling scored the next four to give USM some breathing room, and Skyler Venezia and Whelan exchanged threes twice to keep it a five-point game, 70-65, with 4:14 to go.
• Venezia tried for another three on UMB's next possession but grabbed the offensive board and found Davon Sanders for an open three to kick start a pivotal 7-0 run that put the Beacons ahead for good, 72-70, with 1:22 on the clock. After his three, Sanders came up with a steal and a dunk to tie the game before Laurent scored the go-ahead basket off of a Husky turnover.
• The Huskies had several chances to tie the game up at the free throw line in the closing moments but went 2-for-4.  Down 73-72 and forced to foul, Sanders converted both free throws for UMass Boston to make it a three-point game, 75-72.  Carter Galley connected on a driving layup with three second left to make it a one-point game, but Perkins sealed the game with two free throws for the 77-74 final.

 
 
Up Next:
Southern Maine hosts WestConn on Saturday, December 6 (3:00 pm). The Huskies final home game of 2025 is on Wednesday, December 10 (7:30 pm) in a non-conference match-up with UMaine Farmington. Southern Maine closes out 2025 on the road at Maine Maritime Academy on Tuesday, December 30 (2:00 pm).
           
 
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