GORHAM, Maine  - Closing out the Little East Conference regular-season with a 90-70 win over VTSU-Castleton Spartans, the University of Southern Maine Huskies finished the 2025-2026 regular season with a record of 16-9 and 11-5 in the Little East Conference. Earning the fourth-seed in the upcoming 2026 Little East Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Championship, the Huskies earned a home playoff game and will host the fifth-seeded Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors in the quarterfinal round.  The Huskies will host Eastern Connecticut on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 (7:00 pm) at Hill Gymnasium.
 
After being picked to finish seventh in the conference's preseason poll, the Huskies put together a strong season to finish tied for third in the standings, and earn the most conference wins in program history (11). Leading the way is senior guard Thomas Whelan (Bronx, NY/Fordham Prep) – a two-time All-LEC performer, Whelan is averaging a team-leading 21.4 points per game while shooting 46.8 percent (187-400) from the field. Whelan is also averaging 5.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.7 steals per game.  
 
Sophomores Evans Sterling (New Sharon, Maine/Mt. Blue) and Noah Dowling (North Narabeen, Australia) and freshman Carter Galley (Owls Head, Maine/Oceanside) and Gabe Lash (Waldoboro, Maine/Medomak Valley) have been key to the Huskies' success. A great finisher around the basket, Sterling is the Huskies' second leading scorer averaging 11.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, adding 2.3 assists. Dowling, a long-range threat, is right behind Sterling averaging 11.5 points per game and shooting 43.1 percent from three while leading USM with 6.0 rebounds per game. Coming off the bench and averaging 23.7 minutes per game, Galley is the Huskies' third leading scorer at 11.8 points per game. Galley is shooting a strong 53.6 percent from the field and leads the team in three-point field goal percentage at 44.0 percent.  Lash, a three-time LEC Rookie of the Week, is averaging 9.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 steals per game.


2026 Little East Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Championship Field

1. Western Connecticut                                 19-6; 12-4 LEC
2. UMass Boston                                            16-9; 12-4 LEC
3. Keene State                                                15-10; 11-5 LEC
4. Southern Maine                                          16-9; 11-5 LEC
5. Eastern Connecticut                                   16-9; 8-8 LEC
6. Rhode Island College                                11-14; 7-9 LEC         

Who: No. 4 Southern Maine vs. No. 5 Eastern Connecticut
When: Wednesday, February 25 – 7:00 pm
Where: Hill Gymnasium; Costello Field House – University of Southern Maine, Gorham campus.
What: 2026 Little East Conference Men's Basketball Championship Tournament Quarterfinal
 
Southern Maine (16-9 overall; 11-5 Little East)
Championships: 1 (1989)
LEC Tournament Record: 16-30 (.359), 29 appearances
Finals Appearances: 6   Finals Record: 1-5 Last Finals Appearance: 2000
 
Players to Watch: Thomas Whelan, 21.4 ppg; 5.1 rpg; 3.2 apg, 1.7 spg; Evan Sterling, 11.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.3 spg; Noah Dowling, 11.5 ppg; 6.0 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.3 spg; Carter Galley, 11.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.3 apg; Gabe Lash, 9.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.3 spg.
  
Eastern Connecticut State University (16-9 overall, 8-8 Little East)
Championships:  1992, 2000, 2012, 2017, 2018
Finals Appearances:  9  Finals Record:   5-4  Last Finals Appearance:  2019
 
Players to Watch:  Julian Sanchez, 15.8 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.3 apg; Jalen Hamblin, 15.0 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.6 apg; Dominick Dao, 13.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.4 spg.


 
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