Martin was a perfect 7-for-7 from the charity stripe and was one of three Warriors in double-figures as Eastern Connecticut improved to 6-2 overall and 2-0 in the Little East. After winning its first two games of the season the Huskies have dropped five straight to fall to 2-5 overall and 0-2 in the Little East.
Martin added a team-high eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks while freshman guard Edwin Ortiz (Hartford, Conn./East Catholic) led all scorers with a game-high 21 points, draining five three-pointers, while senior guard Mike Parker (Windsor, Conn./Northwest Catholic) added 19 points, five rebounds and three assists.
Four players reached double-digits in scoring for the Huskies double-doubles from junior center Nick Gooding (Concord, Calif./Mount Diablo) and junior forward Drew Coppenrath (Barnet, Vt./St. Johnsbury Academy). Gooding and Coppenrath each scored 14 points for USM, while Gooding grabbed 11 rebounds and Coppenrath snagged a game-high 12 caroms. Freshman guard John Sewall (Bath, Maine/Cheverus) tossed in 12 points and three assists while junior guard Josh Daniels (Everett, Wash./Maine Central Institute) chipped in with 10 points and a game-high seven assists.
Martin grabbed his own miss and then scored the put-back with four minutes left in the game to pull the Warriors into a 66-66 tie with Huskies. Ortiz followed with his fifth three-pointer of the game following an assist from Martin for a quick five-point swing to put Eastern Connecticut ahead by three 69-66 with 2:56 left to play.
USM’s Gooding cut the lead to one, 69-68, connecting on a pair of free throws following a rebounding foul, but Eastern Connecticut responded with a time-killing possession, grabbing a pair of offensive rebounds on its next trip down the court before Martin scored on a put-back and drew the foul to make the traditional three-point play for a 72-68 Warrior lead with 1:58 remaining.
Daniels brought the Huskies to within two points, 72-70, with another set of free throws, but Eastern Connecticut was again able to cut 42 seconds off the clock in its next possession with another pair of offensive rebounds. The Warriors were unable to score, however, and Southern Maine had two looks at the basket in the final 28 seconds, but could not capitalize, before Warrior Geoff Richardson (Hartford, Conn./Northwest Catholic) cleared the defensive glass on a missed USM shot with eight seconds remaining.
Forced to foul, USM put Martin on the line in the final second of the game and he calmly sank two free throws for the 74-70 final.
Southern Maine returns to action on Tuesday (December 12) at 7:30 p.m. against non-conference opponent University of New England. Eastern Connecticut plays on Tuesday (January 2) at the Bahama House Classic in Dayton, Fla. against an opponent yet to be named.