With the win the Owls open their season with a 1-0 record while the Huskies fall to 0-1 following their season-opener.
Collier led four Owls in double-figures netting 17 points on 4-for-12 shooting from the field and a 7-for-11 mark from the free throw line. Junior guard Gavin Illangakoon (Ellington, Conn./Ellington) added 15 points, while junior forward Curtis Gadles (Pembroke, Mass./Cardinal Spellman) and Ogbunize netted 13 and 11 points respectively.
The Owls took an 11-point halftime lead into the break, 41-30, after shooting a solid 44.4 percent from the field (16-of-36) and never looked back en route to the 80-70 win.
Sophomore guards Josh Daniels (Everett, Wash./Maine Central Institute) and Walter Phillips (Portland, Maine/Bridgton Academy) paced the Huskies tallying 17 points each. Daniels knocked down 6-of-10 from the field and was 2-for-3 from three-point range. Phillips, playing in his first game for USM, was 7-for-17 from the field and added six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Senior co-captain Bill Hardwick (Boothbay, Maine/Boothbay Region) notched a double-double chipping in with 11 points and a team-high 10 rebounds.
The Huskies shot just 38.7 percent from the field for the game connecting on 29 of 75 attempts and were hampered by 17 turnovers in the loss.
Southern Maine returns to action Saturday, November 19 at 6 p.m. in the consolation game of the Gordon College Tip-Off Tournament. The Huskies will play the loser of the Framingham State/Gordon game. Westfield State will face the winner of the Framingham State/Gordon game for the championship at 8 p.m.