GORHAM, Maine -- The Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors used an 8-0 run midway through the first half to take command of the game and methodically pulled away from the host University of Southern Maine Huskies to post a 68-42 triumph in a Little East Conference game Saturday afternoon at the Warren G. Hill Gymnasium.
The win was the fifth straight with the Warriors who swept the season’s two-game series and have won nine of the last ten meetings between the two clubs. Eastern Connecticut improved to 9-7 overall and 5-2 in Little East play. Southern Maine dropped its third straight game to fall to 6-11 overall and 1-6 in the conference.
Leading by one (12-11) with 11:25 to go in the half, the Warriors scored eight straight points over a three-minute span to take a 20-11 advantage. Senior forward Michael Kipphut (Meriden, Conn.) had the final two hoops in the run before USM countered with a basket by sophomore Caleb Sayward (Raymond, Maine). ECSU senior Michael Bartunek (Durham, Conn.) scored on an inbounds play with one second go to send the Warriors to the locker room with a 34-24 lead at halftime.
The Warriors opened the second half with a three-point shots from sophomore Martin Kokoszka (Meriden, Conn.) and senior Gordon Shepard (Waterbury, Conn.) to expand the margin to 16 (40-24).
Southern Maine, which shot only 30% (6 for 20) from the floor in the second half, gamely fought back to within 10 (48-38) when junior Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) converted one of two free throws with 9:12 to play.
Senior Christopher Morgan (New Britain, Conn.) hit a three-pointer and a layup for the Warriors to push the lead back to 15, and the visitors from Willimantic (Conn.) were never seriously threatened the rest of the way.
The ECSU defense did the job at the other end of the floor, holding the Huskies to just one basket by sophomore Jesse McKinnell (Manomet, Mass.) and a pair of free throws by freshman Ian Hebert (Gray, Maine) over the final nine minutes.
Kokoszka paced three Eastern players in double figures and shared game-high scoring honors with 13 points. Kipphut had 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds, and Shepard added 10 points to move within 17 of the 1,000-career point plateau.
McKinnell was the Huskies leading scorer with 13 points and grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. Junior Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) had 12 points.
The Warriors finished the game shooting 64.4% from the floor (26 of 56) and held a 34-30 edge on the boards. Southern Maine shot a season-low 32.7% (16 for 49) for the game.
Southern Maine returns to action Tuesday night when Plymouth State University comes to the Hill Gym. Eastern Connecticut travels to Keene State College on Tuesday.