Senior forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine/Woodland) recorded her 12th consecutive double-double netting 22 points and grabbing 15 rebounds to lead the fourth-ranked University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 57-54 Little East Conference win over the Western Connecticut State University Colonials Saturday afternoon at Hill Gymnasium.
The win was the 15th consecutive for the Huskies who improve to 19-1 overall and remain undefeated in the LEC at 10-0. The win also marked Southern Maine’s 72nd straight win over a conference opponent and 63rd consecutive home victory. Western Connecticut drops to 13-8 overall and evens out at 5-5 in the LEC.
Southern Maine trailed the Colonials the entire second half as the Huskies struggled to put the ball in hoop shooting just 33.3 percent (16-for-48) from the field, including a 29.2 percent mark in the second half as USM connected on just seven of 24 field goals.
Western Connecticut led by four, 52-48 with 4:54 remaining following a jumper from junior guard Ally Greenwood (East Hartford, Conn./Cromwell) before Marble pulled her team to within one, 52-51. Marble converted a traditional three-point play with an offensive rebound and the put-back, capping the play with free throw. The Huskies took the lead for good, gaining its first lead of the second half, after a Western Connecticut turnover led to a long-range three-pointer from Southern Maine senior guard Lindsey Welch (Newport, Maine/Nokomis) for a 54-52 USM advantage with 3:34 to play.
Both teams were held scoreless over the next three minutes of action until Marble caught a neatly placed pass from junior guard Dawn Ross (Gray, Maine/Gray-New Gloucester) on the run to give the Huskies a four point cushion 56-52 with 36 seconds on the clock. Western Connecticut senior forward Mallory Stevens (Seymour, Conn./Seymour) scored a lay-up with 11 seconds remaining, but the Huskies were able to hold off the Colonials the rest of the way, with Ross making one of two free throws for the 57-54 final.
Marble scored a bulk of her points from the free throw line, knocking down 10-of-13 attempts as Southern Maine enjoyed a huge advantage from the charity stripe. USM converted 20 of its 26 attempts (76.9 percent) from the free throw line, while Western Connecticut made five of its six tries (83.3 percent). Welch ended the game with nine points and three assists for USM, including a perfect 3-for-3 mark from three-point territory. Senior forward Lauren Samuelson (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug) gave USM a spark off of the bench, tossing in eight points in 11 minutes of action.
Stevens led the Colonials with 16 points, five rebounds and four assists, while junior forward Colleen Smith (Lebanon, Conn./Windham) and sophomore guard Jennifer Kancler (Columbia, Conn./Windham) each chipped in with nine points each.
Southern Maine returns to action on Saturday (February 3) when its hosts Little East Conference opponent Western Connecticut State University. Tip off is scheduled for 1 p.m. Husson College returns to action on Friday (February 2) at 8 p.m. when it hosts Mt. Ida College.