With the win the Huskies open their 2006-2007 season with a 1-0 mark, while the Hornets start their campaign at 0-1.
Caterina was one of three USM players to reach double-figures as the Huskies used a well-balanced attack with 11 players scored at least two points. Caterina was 5-for-14 from the field, including 3-for-5 from three-point range to pace USM, while freshman forward Greg Whitaker (Presque Isle, Maine/Presque Isle) added 11 points and sophomore guard Charlie O’Neill (Seymour, Conn./Wilbraham & Monson) chipped in with 10 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and a blocked shot.
Junior guard Tanner Pryce (Middlesex, Vt./Union) and junior forward Brad Durr (Windham, Conn./EO Smith) each scored 16 points to lead Lyndon State while sophomore forward Kali Stoddard-Imari (Lyndon, Vt./Lyndon Institute) added 13 points on 5-for-8 shooting from the field.
The Huskies jumped out to a 35-23 lead in the first half thanks in part to an outstanding 6-for-13 (46.2 percent) mark from three-point range. In the second half, USM’s long range shooting cooled, but the Huskies connected on 50 percent of its shots overall (15-for-30) for the 70-54 win. Southern Maine finished the game shooting a solid 42.9 percent (27-for-63) from the field and 40 percent (8-for-20) from three-point range. The Huskies also had a decided advantage on the boards out-rebounding Lyndon State 48-26, led by seven boards each from Caterina, junior forward Drew Coppenrath (Barnet, Vt./St. Johnsbury) and sophomore forward Vince Tourville (Los Angeles, Calif./Maine Central Institute). .
Lyndon State shot 39.6 percent (21-for-53) for the game and struggled from the free throw line making just 9-of-19 attempts for a sub-par 47.4 percent from the charity stripe.