With the win Western Connecticut improves to 15-2 overall and 6-2 in the Little East earning its seventh consecutive win. Southern Maine fall to 7-11 on the season and 3-5 in conference action.
Assie scored nine of his 21 points in the second half while senior forward Kimani Crawford (West Hartford, Conn./Northwest Catholic) scored 13 of his 17 points to deliver the win for the Colonials as Western Connecticut fended off a surging Southern Maine squad.
Western Connecticut seemed well on its way to a rout opening up a 13-0 lead as the Huskies struggled with its first eight possessions missing three shots and committing five turnovers in the opening five minutes of the game, but the Huskies were able to fight their way back into the game to trail by one at the break 37-36.
The Huskies took a slim lead a minute into second half after Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine/Westbrook) connected on two of his game-high 26 points to give Southern Maine its first lead of the night at 38-37. The Huskies led by two after a free throw from freshman guard Josh Daniels (Seattle, Wash./Maine Central Institute) and a lay-up from senior guard Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine/Hermon) wrapped around a lay-up from Assie.
But, the lead would be short-lived however as Western Connecticut sophomore guard Lamar White (Bronx, N.Y./Mount St. Michael) converted a lay-up and Crawford would combine to score the next four points unanswered to give the Colonials a four-point edge, 45-41 with 16:26 to play.
Despite the Huskies best efforts, cutting the lead to one three more times in the half, the Colonials would retain the lead the rest of the way on timely shooting from Crawford and freshman guard Kyle Norfleet (Waterbury, Conn./Waterbury). Norfleet scored all seven of his points in the second half, including a three-pointer with 11:44 to go to stave off the Huskies who had pulled to within one at 55-54.
Southern Maine senior guard Mike Franceour (Somersworth, N.H./Cheshire) scored 16 points for the Huskies while junior forward Bill Hardwick (Boothbay, Maine/Boothbay Region) added a double-double scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
Southern Maine returns to action Wednesday, February 2 at home versus St. Joseph’s College (ME). Western Connecticut will face Lasell on Tuesday, February 1.