GORHAM, Maine - Senior
Thomas Whelan (Bronx, NY/Fordham Prep) had a game-high 24 points to lead six players in double-figures as the University of Southern Maine Huskies defeated the Plymouth State University Panthers 120-100 in a Little East Conference men's basketball game Wednesday night at Hill Gym.
Whelan was 7-for-15 form the field for the Huskies, adding four assists. Sophomore
Noah Dowling (North Narabeen, Australia/St. Augustine's) added 19 points on 7-for-13 shooting (4-for-8 3 FG), while freshmen
Gabe Lash (Waldoboro, Maine/Medomak Valley) and
Carter Galley (Owls Head, Maine/Oceanside) each had 17 points. Freshman
Cohen Galley (Owls Head, Maine/Oceanside) added 16 points, while sophomore
Evans Sterling (New Sharon, Maine/Mt. Blue) had 10 points.
Brady Hulland led PSU with 23 points on 8-for-14 shooting. Torran Bosworth had 19 points, five assists, and Yansel Reyes added 18 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Jordan Gunthrop tossed in 13 points off of the bench for the Panthers.
The Records:
Plymouth State (6-16, 2-11 Little East)
Southern Maine (14-9, 9-5 Little East)
Today's game marked the 156th meeting between the Plymouth State University Panthers and the University of Southern Maine Huskies. Southern Maine trails the all-time series 77-79; however, Huskies have won nine of the last 10 over PSU. The Huskies defeated the Panthers 77-69 at Plymouth State earlier this season for the season sweep.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Trailing 30-23 after Plymouth State's Reyes canned a three for his 10th first-half points at the 9:13 mark, Southern Maine closed out the first half outscoring the Panthers 30-11 in the final 8:57 of the half to lead 53-41 at the break.
- Shooting 10-for-19 from the field during the pivotal run, including a 5-for-9 mark from three, Whelan led the Huskies with nine points. Lash had eight, Carter Galley had seven, and Dowling had six. Lash scored three quick points on an and-one play immediately following Reyes' three as USM rattled off 16 unanswered points to surge ahead 39-30 with 4:29 to go until the break sealed by Lash's three. PSU responded with seven straight led by five from Gunthrop to pull the Panthers to within one, 39-37, with 3:00 on the clock, but USM outpaced the Panthers 14-4 the rest of the way for the 12-point halftime lead. Whelan scored seven of USM's final points in the run.
- With both teams shooting well from the floor to start the second half, Southern Maine led by 17, 69-52, on a three from Sterling at the 15:14 mark. However, the Huskies outscored the Panthers 22-12 over the next five minutes to balloon its lead to 27, 91-64 with 10:07 to play. The Huskies were 7-for-10 from the field during that stretch capped by a layup from Cohen Galley.
- Both teams went back and forth and Bosworth's and-one made it a 20-point game, 95-75, with just over eight to go before USM took its largest lead of the game, outscoring the Panthers 19-10 over the next four minutes for a 114-85 led with 4:35 to play. Cohen Galley scored 12 of his 16 points during that stretch as USM was 7-for-9 from the field. From there, USM held for the 120-100 final.
Inside The Statistics:
- Southern Maine shot 53.8 percent (42-for-78) from the field and was 15-for-37 from three. Southern Maine scored 67 second-half points. PSU shot 45.8 percent (38-for-83).
- Both teams were even at 44 points each in the paint. Each team committed 18 turnovers. USM scored 26 points off of Panther miscues, while PSU scored 22.
Up Next:
The Huskies are back on the road Saturday, February 14 (3:00 pm) at UMass Dartmouth. Southern Maine returns home to Hill Gym on Saturday, February 21 (3:00 pm) against VTSU-Castleton in conference action.
-cac-
