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                                SEASON COMPLETED

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Tuesday, February 19, 2002

Little East Conference Tournament  --  First Round
UMD Corsairs Hold Off USM Huskies, 78-67

	NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass.  --  Junior forward Brian Cagle (Norwich, Conn.) 
poured in a game-high 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the third-seeded 
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Corsairs defeated the sixth-seeded 
University of Southern Maine Huskies, 78-67, in a first round game of the 16th 
annual Little East Conference menís basketball championship tournament Tuesday 
night.
	The win moves the Corsairs into Friday nightís semifinal round against 
second-seeded Western Connecticut State University.  That game will be played at 
Keene State College beginning at 6:00 p.m.  The Corsairs are now 18-7 on the 
season.  The loss ends the season for Southern Maine which finished 10-16 
overall.
	An 11-0 run, sparked by nine points from sophomore Jeff White (Etna, 
Maine), midway through the first half put the Huskies in front 27-21 with 4:24 
to go until halftime.  The Corsairs responded with a 13-2 run over the final 
four minutes to take a 34-29 lead into the locker room.  Senior Ivan Brito (New 
Bedford, Mass.), who had five points in the run, ignited the surge with a three-
point shot.
	UMD maintained its lead throughout the second half.  The Huskies stayed 
within striking distance, getting as close as six (58-52) with 8:05 to play on 
two free throws by junior Matt Tarbox (Standish, Maine).  A White three-pointer 
left the Huskies down six (65-59) with 5:18 to go, but USM would get no closer 
as a 6-0 UMD run pushed the lead back into double figures.
	Cagle connected on 6 of 11 shots from the field and 7 of 9 at the foul 
line for his 19 points.  Senior Brian Austin (Winchendon, Mass.) added 13 and 
freshman Chris Lapriore (Grafton, Mass.) and sophomore Manny Monteiro (Fall 
River, Mass.) combined for 21 points off the bench.  UMD got a big second half 
lift from freshman Matt McAuliffe (Sutton, Mass.) who had eight points in the 
second half.
	White and freshman Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) each had 16 points 
to lead the Huskies.  Senior Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) closed out his USM 
career by adding 14.
	Both teams shot under 40 percent from the floor, but the Corsairs had a 
50-31 edge on the boards and a 36-17 edge in free throw attempts.  UMD was 25-
of-64 from the floor (39 percent) while USM connected on 21-of-56 field goal 
attempts (37.5 percent).  Southern Maine, ranked second in the nation among 
Division III teams in three-point field goals made, sank 13-of-34 long-range 
tries (38 percent).  The Corsairs converted on 22-of-36 free throws while the 
Huskies made 12-of-17 tires from the charity stripe.

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Saturday, February16, 2002

Southern Maine Falls to Eastern Connecticut, 70-60
Huskies Claim Final Little East Tournament Spot

	GORHAM, Maine: Senior guard Rich Vega (Hartford, Conn.) scored a game-high 
18 points to lead Eastern Connecticut State University to a 70-60 triumph over 
the University of Southern Maine Saturday afternoon at Geissler Gymnasium.
	With the win, Eastern Connecticut improves to 13-12 overall and 8-6 in the 
LEC, while Southern Maine fell to 10-15 and 4-10. Eastern Connecticut has earned 
the number-five seed in this week's LEC Tournament, and will travel to number-
four seed Plymouth State for an opening round game on Tuesday night. Southern 
Maine, which claimed the sixth and final seed, will travel to number-two UMass 
Dartmouth on Tuesday.
	Trailing 36-27 at the break, Southern Maine opened the second half with an 
8-0 run to pull within 36-35 on a three-pointer from freshman guard Mike 
Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) with 15:36 to play in the game. Eastern responded 
with four consecutive points, courtesy of Vega, to take a 40-35 advantage with 
14:30 remaining. 
	The Huskies again pulled within one point (42-41), on a free throw from 
junior forward Matt Tarbox (Standish, Maine) with 12:13 left in the game. 
However, the Huskies were unable to gain the lead or force a tie.
	Eastern Connecticut scored five straight points to grab a 47-41 lead with 
10:42 remaining. Freshman guard Linc Bigelow (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) drained a 
three-pointer to cut the deficit to 47-44 with 10 minutes to play, but the 
Huskies could pull no closer the rest of the game. 
	The Warriors, who went on an 11-4 run to extend their lead to 58-48 with 
3:18 left in the game,  enjoyed their biggest margin of 12 points on two 
occasions, with the final time coming at 70-58 with 17 seconds to play.
	Southern Maine, which never led the game forced only one tie - at 2-2 with 
19:01 remaining in the half on a layup from Francoeur. 
	Eastern Connecticut held a 52-45 advantage on the boards, and registered a 
.373 shooting percentage, while holding the Huskies to a .277 shooting 
percentage.
	Sophomore center Michael Kipphut (Meriden, Conn.) added 11 points and 
senior center Billy Rea (Winsted, Conn.) hauled in 11 rebounds for the Warriors.  
Southern Maine was paced by 14 points from Francoeur and 11 rebounds from 
sophomore guard Jeff White (Etna, Maine).

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Tuesday, February 12, 2002

UMB Beacons Stay Alive in LEC, Beat USM 85-72

	BOSTON, Mass.  --  Freshman forward Billy Allen (South Boston, Mass.) 
scored six of his team-high 19 points during a 15-2 run to open the second half 
and the University of Massachusetts Boston Beacons went on to defeat the 
University of Southern Maine Huskies, 85-72, in a Little East Conference contest 
Tuesday night at the Clark Athletic Center.
	The win keeps the Beaconsí hopes for a playoff berth alive in the Little 
East tournament that begins next Tuesday night.  The Beacons and Huskies, both 
with a 4-9 conference record, are tied for the final spot in the six-team 
tournament heading into Saturdayís regular season finales.  The teams split 
their two regular season meetings.  Southern Maine travels to Eastern 
Connecticut State University while UMass Boston host Western Connecticut on 
Saturday.
	Leading by three (40-37) at the break, the Beacons, led by the 6-foot-6 
Allen, scored the first 11 points of the second half.  After a jumper by 
freshman Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) broke the string for the Huskies, 
Allen scored a basket to make it 53-39 with 16:14 to play.
	The Huskies closed within five on two occasions, the last at 57-52 after a 
basket by sophomore Jeff White (Etna, Maine) with 12:39 to play.  The Beacons 
answered back with a 7-2 run that pushed the lead back into double figures, and 
the Huskies never got closer than 10 the rest of the way.
	An 11-1 run midway through the first half erased a two-point Husky lead 
(20-18) and gave the Beacons the advantage they would hold on to the rest of the 
game.
	Allen made 9 of 14 attempts from floor and grabbed 10 rebounds.  Freshman 
Roderic Jean-Joseph (Dorchester, Mass.) connected on 7 of 11 shots and a pair of 
free throws for 17 points and shared game-high rebounding honors with Allen 
grabbing 10.  Senior Jake Luhn (Melbourne, Fla.) came of the bench to drain 14 
points.
	USM was led by freshman Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) who had 18 points.  
White was the only other Husky to reach double figures, scoring 10.  He also had 
a team-high nine rebounds.
	UMass Boston shot 56.7 percent (34 for 60) from the floor.  Southern 
Maine, relying on the three-point shot, connected on just 38.5 percent (25 of 
65) of its shots, including only 9 of 31 tries from beyond the three-point 
stripe.

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Saturday, February 9, 2002

St. Pierre Leads Huskies Past Anchormen, 84-47

	PROVIDENCE, R.I.  --  Senior Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) scored a 
game-high 23 points and the University of Southern Maine Huskies made 18 of 46 
three-point tries en route to an 84-47 victory over the Rhode Island College 
Anchormen in a Little East Conference game Saturday afternoon.
	The win improved to the Huskies' overall record to 10-13, and 4-8 in the 
conference.  The Anchormen fall to 1-22 overall and are winless in 12 games in 
the conference.
	St. Pierre hit on 9 of 17 shots, including 5 of 11 from beyond the arc, 
for his 23 points.  The 6-foot-1 forward also pulled down a game-high 12 
rebounds.
	The Huskies raced out to a 38-22 lead at the intermission as St. Pierre 
had 13 points. A three-point shot by freshman Derek Lovely (Oxford, Maine), 
followed by two more from St. Pierre, produced a 9-0 USM run late in the half 
than expand an 11-point lead (29-18) into a 20-point lead (38-18) with a 1:17 to 
go.
	Southern Maine continued to fire away from beyond the arc in the second 
half, making 9 of 22 long-range bombs.  Sophomore Jeff White (Etna, Maine) hit 
three three-point shots in a span of two minutes to keep the lead above 20 
points.  A 12-0 run, keyed by trifectas from senior Geoff Grigsby (Bridgton, 
Maine) and Lovely, pushed the lead to 31 (65-34).  Southern Maine scored the 
game's last 10 points for the final margin.
	Lovely, who was 4 of 9 from three-point territory, finished with 14 points 
and White ended up with 12.  Eleven of the 12 Huskies contributed points, and 
seven different players hit a three-point shot.
	Sophomore guard Bobby Carroll (Fairfield, Conn.) led the Anchormen with 16 
points.  Senior Mike Monahan (Johnston, R.I.) also reached double figures with 
10 points.
	The Huskies shot 44 percent (30 for 68) from the floor for the game while 
holding the Anchormen to an ice-cold 27 percent (17 for 63) from the floor, 
including just 6 of 27 tries from three-point range.  USM also had a 47-40 edge 
in rebounding.
	Southern Maine hits the road Tuesday for a critical Little East Conference 
game at the University of Massachusetts Boston.  Rhode Island College will host 
UMass Dartmouth, also on Tuesday, in its next game.

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Wednesday, February 5, 2002

USM's Mike Francoeur Earns Rookie of the Week Award

	GORHAM, Maine: Freshman guard Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) was named 
the State of Maine Rookie of the Week as selected by the Maine College 
Basketball Coaches' and Writers' Association.
	In two games last week, Francoeur averaged 15.5 assists and connected on 
9-of-16 (.562) field goal attempts, including 5-of-8 (.625) three point 
attempts. In addition, he exhibited his all-around game by dishing out seven 
assists, registering five steals and blocking a single shot.
	His efforts helped the Huskies split a pair of games last week. Southern 
Maine pulled out an emotional 92-88 triumph over neighboring St. Joseph's, 
before suffering a 77-58 home loss to Little East Conference foe the University 
of Massachusetts Dartmouth. On the year, the Huskies currently stand at 9-13 
overall and 3-8 in the conference.
	In the win over St. Joe's, Francoeur enjoyed his finest game of the 
season, as he connected on 4-of-7 (.571) field goal attempts, including a 
perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the three-point arc, en route to a career-high 18-
point effort.  His prior career high of 16 points was set in a narrow home loss 
to Plymouth State.
	On the year, Francoeur has registered double figures in points in 10 of 
the 19 games he's played, and is currently averaging 9.0 points 2.8 assists and 
1. 8 rebounds per game. His play has helped the Huskies remain in contention for 
an LEC post-season berth throughout the course of the season. With three games 
to play, Southern Maine  occupies the sixth and final playoff position.
	The Huskies will return to action on Saturday, when they travel to Rhode 
Island College.

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Tuesday, February 5, 2002

Panthers Hang On to Beat Huskies, 72-71

	PLYMOUTH, N.H.  --  Junior forward Donnelle Combs (Mitchellville, Md.) 
scored the winning basket on a layup with 1:46 to play to give the Plymouth 
State College Panthers a 72-71 victory over the University of Southern Maine 
Huskies in a Little East Conference game Tuesday night.
	The Panthers improved to 12-8 overall and 6-5 in the conference.  Southern 
Maine dropped its second straight, and third in the last four, to fall to 9-13 
overall and 3-8 in the conference.
	USM had two shots in the final five seconds to win the game, but freshman 
Ryan Garlandís (Hermon, Maine) jumper and junior Ryan Thomasís (Hampden, Maine) 
putback would not fall.
	Senior Jason Blackburn (Hudson, Mass.), with seven points, paced a 17-2 
Plymouth State run midway through the second half that erased a nine-point 
deficit (57-48) and gave the Panthers a 65-59 lead with 7:09 to play.
	Southern Maine responded with an 10-0 run over the next four minutes to 
regain the lead, 69-65.  Thomas ignited the run with a pair of baskets.  
Sophomore Jeff White (Etna, Maine) also had four points, and senior Jason St. 
Pierre (Bangor, Maine) had a basket during the run.
	A layup by junior Kenny Stewart (Londonderry, N.H.) and a three-pointer by 
Blackburn with 2:44 remaining restored the lead to the Panthers.
	Two free throws by St. Pierre with 2:07 left gave USM it final lead 
(71-70), but the Huskies would not score the rest of the way.
	The first half was a see-saw affair that had 14 lead changes and eight 
ties.  The Panthers enjoyed the biggest lead (22-14) before the Huskies, led by 
freshman guard Derek Lovely (Oxford, Maine), came back to take a 41-39 lead at 
the break.  Lovely connected on 5 of 7 shots from the floor, including 4 of 6 
from beyond the three-point arc, for 14 points in the opening half.
	An 11-2 run in the second half, keyed by three points baskets by freshman 
Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.), senior Geoff Grigsby (Bridgton, Maine) and 
White, gave the Huskies their largest lead (57-49) with 11:42 to play.
	Lovely, who took only one shot in the second half, led the Huskies with 14 
points.  Garland added 13 and Thomas contributed 11.  White finished with nine 
points, all in the second half, and shared team-high rebounding honors with St. 
Pierre as each hauled in nine caroms.
	Blackburn led all scorers with 15 points to pace four Panthers in double 
figures.  Combs finished with 14 points while sophomores Frankie Finklea 
(Dorchester, Mass.) and Mike Loughlin (Manchester, N.H.) had 12 and 10 points, 
respectively.  Combs led all rebounders with 11.
	Southern Maine travels to Rhode Island College on Saturday for a Little 
East Conference contest, starting at 3:00 p.m.  Plymouth State will play a non-
conference game at the University of New England on Thursday.

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Saturday, February 2, 2002

UMass Dartmouth Shuts Down Southern Maine, 77-58

	GORHAM, Maine: Junior forward Brian Cagle (Norwich, Conn.) scored a game-
high 20 points and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth shut down the 
University of Southern Maine, 77-58 Saturday afternoon at the Hill Gymnasium.
	With the win, the Corsairs improved to 14-6 overall and 7-3 in the Little 
East Conference, while the Huskies fell to 9-12 and 3-7.
	The 58 points marked the lowest scoring total of the year for Southern 
Maine, which suffered a 61-59 loss to Bowdoin on November 27.
	The Huskies enjoyed the advantage throughout much of the first half, and 
took their largest lead of the game at 24-17, on a short jumper by junior 
forward Ryan Thomas (Hampden, Maine) with 7:22 to play in the half. However, the 
Corsairs answered with a 10-3 run to tie the affair at 27-27 with 3:32 
remaining. Cagle gave UMass Dartmouth the lead for good at 31-29 when he scored 
a basket and sank the ensuing free throw with 1:52 to play in the half.  The 
Corsairs held a 35-34 advantage at the break.
	Southern Maine was held scoreless over the first 5:25 of the second half, 
and was outscored by a 10-0 margin during this stretch, as UMass Dartmouth built 
a 45-34 advantage.  The Huskies pulled to within 47-38 with 13:20 remaining on a 
basket by junior forward Matt Tarbox (Standish, Maine), but could trim the 
deficit no further. The Corsairs enjoyed their greatest advantage at 65-43, on a 
basket by junior guard Tim Gaspar (Dartmouth, Mass.) with 7:13 to play.
	Freshman forward Chris Lapriorre (Grafton, Mass.) added 17 points and a 
team-leading 10 rebounds for UMass Dartmouth. Freshman guard Mike Francoeur 
(Somersworth, N.H.), who scored 13 points, was the lone Husky to register double 
figures in points.
	UMass Dartmouth outrebounded Southern Maine by a 43-31 margin, and 
connected on 46.8% (29-of-62) of its field goal attempts, while holding Southern 
Maine to a .328 (19-of-58) shooting percentage.
	The teams return to action on Tuesday, when UMass-Dartmouth will entertain 
UMass-Boston, while Southern Maine travels to Plymouth State College.

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Wednesday, January 30

Huskies Hang On to Beat Monks, 92-88

	STANDISH, Maine  --  Freshman Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.), 
sophomore Steve Estes (York, Maine) and senior Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) 
combined for 53 points as the University of Southern Maine Huskies held off a 
furious St. Josephís College rally in the final minute to beat the Monks, 92-88, 
in a non-conference game Wednesday night at the Harold Alfond Recreation 
Complex.
	The win was the third in the last four games for the Huskies who improved 
to 9-11 overall, and avenged an 85-76 loss at the hands of the Monks in the 
season-opening Maine Event tournament.  St. Josephís, which dropped its fourth 
game in its last five outings, slipped to 11-9 on the season.
	Francoeur had a career-high 18 points, connecting on four of seven from 
the floor, including all three shots he took from beyond the three-point arc, 
and 7 of 11 from the foul line.  St. Pierre also had 18 points, making four of 
five shots from the floor and all eight of his free throws.  Estes came off the 
bench to make 8 of 9 shots on the way to a career best 17 points.
	The Huskies used a 20-11 run over the final nine minutes of the first half 
to snap a 23-23 tie and establish a 43-34 lead at the break.  The Huskies used a 
balanced attack as seven different players contributed points during the run.
	St. Pierre ignited an 11-0 run midway through the second half with a 
three-point basket and three free throws as the Huskies pushed their lead to 20 
(74-54) with 9:06 to play.
	Led by junior Bilal Dawan-Abdullah (Dorchester, Mass.), who had a game-
high 28 points, the Monks chopped the lead in half (76-66) with a 12-2 run over 
the next three minutes.
	The Huskies lead stabilized in the 6-10 point range until the frantic 
final minute when the Monks got within two (88-86) on two free throws by 
sophomore Chris Miller (Bingham, Maine), but Francoeur and fellow freshman Ryan 
Garland (Hermon, Maine) combined to make four of six free throws in the final 30 
seconds to preserve the win.
	Dawan-Abdullah made 9 of 17 shots, including 4 of 6 from behind the three-
point stripe, and 6 of 8 free throws for his 28 points.  He had 20 points in the 
second half.  Junior C.J. Vose (Yarmouth, Maine) came off the bench for the 
Monks to toss in 22 and grab a team-high nine rebounds.  Junior Brandon Stewart 
(Ipswich, Mass.) was the only other St. Joeís player to reach double figures 
with 15.
	Southern Maine had five players finish in double figures.  Garland and 
junior Ryan Thomas (Hampden, Maine) each chipped in with 10.  The Huskies shot 
60.4% for the floor (29 for 48), including 50% (10 of 20) from three-point 
territory, and converted 24 of 35 attempts from the foul line.
	St. Josephís took 25 more shots than USM (73-48), but was able to convert 
on just 42.5% (31 for 73) of it attempts.
	Southern Maine returns to action Saturday when it plays its final regular 
season home game against the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth at 3:00 p.m.  
St. Josephís will host the College of St. Joseph from Rutland, Vt., in its next 
contest, also on Saturday.

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Saturday, January 26, 2002

Keene State Downs Southern Maine, 88-86

	GORHAM, Maine: Sophomore guard Chris Urquhart (Salem, N.H.) hit a three-
pointer at the buzzer to lift the visiting Keene State College Owls to an 88-86 
Little East Conference win over the University of Southern Maine Huskies 
Saturday afternoon at Hill Gymnasium.
	With the win, Keene State extends its school-record winning streak to 13 
games and improves to 16-1 overall and a league-leading 9-0. Southern Maine 
falls to 8-11 and 3-6.
	Keene State had taken an 85-84 lead with 32 seconds remaining, when 
sophomore guard Bennett Pawlusiak (Bedford, NH) hit a running layup and made the 
ensuing free throw. However, Southern Maine answered on a spinning layup from 
sophomore guard Jeff White (Etna, Maine) to grab an 86-85 advantage with six 
seconds to play.
	Southern Maine, which led throughout much of the game, enjoyed its largest 
lead at 42-26, with 1:58 remaining in the half, and took a 42-28 advantage into 
the intermission. The Huskies largest lead of the second half was 15 points, 
which they held twice - the final time coming at 47-32 with 18:30 to play. 
	Keene State slowly began to trim the deficit throughout the second half, 
and took its first lead of the afternoon at 69-68, when Urquhart drained a 
three-pointer with 7:01 to play. The Huskies answered with baskets from White 
and sophomore guard Steve Estes (York, Maine) to grab a 72-69 advantage with 
5:43 remaining. 
	Senior forward David Stantial (Beverly, Mass.) tied the game at 72-72 on a 
three-pointer with 5:30 to play. Keene State, which went scoreless from the 
floor over the ensuing 4:58, stayed in the game by sinking 10-12 free throws 
during this stretch. Pawlusiak's lay-up with 32 seconds to play ended the 
drought for Keene.
	Southern Maine was led by White, who scored a game-high 28 points, while 
senior guard Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) added 20 points and freshman guard 
Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) added 11 points. 
	Keene State was paced by sophomore guard Chris Timson (Beverly, Mass.), 
who scored 23 points, while Stantial added 16, and Urquhart contributed 10.
	Southern Maine returns to action on Wednesday, when it travels to St. 
Joseph's College, while Keene State will be at Tufts on Tuesday.

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Thursday, January 24, 2002

Huskies Shoot the Lights Out, Beat Thomas 124-78

	WATERVILLE, Maine  --  Freshman Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) scored 19 
points to pace seven players in double figures as the University of Southern 
Maine Huskies set a school record for points in a game with their 124-78 rout of 
the Thomas College Terriers in a non-conference game Thursday night at Mahaney 
Gymnasium.
	The win improved the Huskies' overall record to 8-10.  Thomas remains 
winless on the season after dropping its 14th straight game.
	Southern Maine came out firing and connected on 21 of 47 three-point field 
goal attempts during the game.  Garland and freshman guard Linc Bigelow (St. 
Johnsbury, Vt.) each made 4 of 6 shots from beyond the arc.  Overall, eight of 
USM's 13 players connected on at least one three-pointer during the game.
	The Huskies were never threatened in the contest, racing out to a 34-point 
lead (72-38) at the break.
	The 124 points is the most scored by a USM team since the merger of UMaine 
Portland and Gorham State College in 1970, surpassing the previous mark of 118 
points scored against Plymouth State in January 1992.  The 21 three-point fields 
made is another single game record.
	Bigelow and senior Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) each finished with 15 
points for the Huskies.  Freshman Adam Russell (Winterport, Maine) came off the 
bench to toss in 12.  Freshmen Derek Lovely (Oxford, Maine) and Jay Casterella 
(Portland, Maine) each had 11, and sophomore Steve Estes (York, Maine) added 10.
	Thomas' junior forward Jimmy Cardaci (Lowell, Mass.) took game-high 
scoring honors with 24 points.  Junior Will Nickerson (Lewiston, Maine) was the 
only other Terrier to reach double figures finishing with 10 points.
	Southern Maine finished the game shooting 52.5 percent (42 of 80) from the 
floor overall, and 86.4 percent (19 of 22) at the foul line.  Conversely, Thomas 
only shot 39 percent (27 of 70) from the floor, including just 6 of 30 from 
three-point range, and committed 20 turnovers.
	The Huskies will host Little East Conference leader Keene State College on 
Saturday for a 3:00 p.m. game.  Thomas will try to snap its streak on Monday 
night when the Terriers travel to Husson College.

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Tuesday, January 22, 2002

Southern Maine Rallies Past UMass Boston, 70-66

	GORHAM, Maine: Senior guard Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine), sophomore 
guard Steve Estes (York, Maine), and freshman guard Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) 
scored 10 points apiece, and the University of Southern Maine overcame a 
13-point second half deficit to post a 70-66 Little East Conference triumph over 
the visiting University of Massachusetts Boston Beacons Tuesday night at the 
Hill Gymnasium.
	With the win Southern Maine halts a three-game slide, and improves to 7-10 
overall and 3-5 in Little East Conference play, while UMass Boston falls to 5-13 
and 1-7.
	St. Pierre provided the Huskies with their lone first half highlight, when 
he drained a lengthy three-pointer with 12:34 to play, to cut the deficit to 
14-11, and, in the process, record the 1,000th point of his collegiate career. 
However, the Beacons led throughout the opening 20 minutes and took a 38-27 lead 
into the break.
	Junior forward Paul Kemp (Cambridge, Mass.) opened the second half with a 
break away dunk to give the Beacons their largest lead of the second half at 
40-27 with 19:43 to play. However, Southern Maine answered with an 18-4 run to 
take their first lead of the second half at 45-44 with 12:09 to play on a pair 
of free throws by Esters.
	The remainder of the game witnessed 10 lead changes and a pair of ties. 
Southern Maine took a 59-53 lead with 7:15 to play, when junior forward Matt 
Tarbox (Standish, Maine) hit the back end of two free throws, but UMass Boston 
answered with an 7-0 lead to grab a 60-59 lead with 4:31 to play.  Southern 
Maine responded with a pair of three pointers from Tarbox and Garland to grab a 
65-60 lead with 3:32 remaining. 
	The Beacons rallied to score six consecutive points to take their final 
lead of the night at 66-65, when freshman guard Roderic Jean-Joseph (Dorchester, 
Mass.) sank a pair of free throws with 2:21 to play.
	Southern Maine regained the lead for good at 67-66, when St. Pierre hit a 
leaning layup with 1:21 remaining. Tarbox added a pair of free throws, while 
freshman guard Make Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) added a single foul shot to 
account for the 70-66 final.
	The Beacons were paced by Jean-Joseph, who scored a game-high 24 points, 
while freshman forward Billy Allen (South Boston, Mass.) added 14 points, and 
freshman guard Roger Perry (Boston, Mass.) contributed 12 points.
	Southern Maine returns to action on Thursday when it travels to Thomas 
College, while UMass Boston will travel to Rhode Island College for a Saturday 
matinee.

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Saturday, January 19, 2002

Western Conn. Pulls Away From Southern Maine, 80-68

	DANBURY, Conn.  --  The Western Connecticut State University Colonials 
used a 14-3 run opening the second half to break a 34-34 tie and went on to post 
an 80-68 victory over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a Little East 
Conference game Saturday afternoon at Feldman Arena.
	The win was the fourth straight for the Colonials and improved their 
overall record to 11-5.  Western Connecticut is 4-3 in the LEC.  Southern Maine 
dropped its third straight game to fall to 
6-10 overall.  The Huskies are 2-5 in the conference.
	The teams traded three-point baskets to open the second half before the 
Colonials scored 11 unanswered points.  Senior Kevin Matthews (Ossining, N.Y.) 
scored the first five points of the decisive stretch.
	Trailing by 12, the Huskies scored seven straight points, including four 
by junior Matt Tarbox (Standish, Maine), to pull back within five (51-46) with 
13:22 to play.  The teams traded baskets before Western went on a 9-3 run to 
push the lead back into double digits.  USM would get no closer than seven, on 
two occasions, the rest of the way.
	In the first half, Western Connecticut senior Lenny Rinas (Bristol, Conn.) 
scored his team's first 13 points to stake the Colonials to an early lead.  
There would be five lead changes and seven ties, the last coming when Western 
Connecticut senior Ryan Mains (Avon, Conn.) made two free throws with two 
seconds left, in the first half.
	Southern Maine was led by freshman Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) who 
finished with 21 points, 17 coming in the second half.  Junior Ryan Thomas 
(Hampden, Maine) had 12 points, all in the first half, a team-high nine rebounds 
and four blocked shots.  Freshman Linc Bigelow (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) added 11 
points off the bench.
	Rinas cooled off after his torrid start to finish with 21 points.  Junior 
Casey Bock (Danbury, Conn.) had 12 points, and Matthews and sophomore Winston 
Grey (Norwalk, Conn.) each had 10 points.  
	The Huskies were hurt by poor foul shooting, making just 5 of 17 attempts 
(29 percent) from the line, including 3 of 13 in the first half.  USM shot 33 
percent from the floor (13 of 40) in the second half while Western Connecticut 
connected on 53 percent (17 of 32) of its shots after the break.
	Southern Maine returns home to host the University of Massachusetts Boston 
on Tuesday.  Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.  Western Connecticut will tangle 
with in-state rival Eastern Connecticut, also on Tuesday, in Danbury.

********************************************************************************

Tuesday, January 15, 2002

Plymouth State Jumps to Early Lead and Holds off Southern Maine, 89-79

	GORHAM, Maine: Sophomore forward Frankie Finklea (Dorchester, Mass.) 
scored a game-high 23 points, and was a perfect seven-of-seven from the foul 
line in the final four minutes as Plymouth State College jumped to a double-
digit, first-half lead, but had to withstand a furious University of Southern 
Maine rally, before posting an 89-79 Little East Conference triumph Tuesday 
night at Warren G. Hill Gymnasium.
	A pair of free throws by Finklea with 5:26 to play in the first half gave 
Plymouth State its largest lead of the game at 38-13. However, Southern Maine 
closed out the half with an 18-5 run to pull within 43-31 at the break.
	Following the intermission, the Huskies continued to chip away at the 
deficit, and eventually tied the contest at 63-63 on a three-pointer from 
freshman guard Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) with 6:14 to play. Plymouth State 
answered with four straight points, culminating with a basket from freshman 
guard Nick Pelotte (Bingham, Maine) to take a 67-63 lead with 4:48 to play. The 
teams traded baskets, and with 2:59 to play, Plymouth State held a 71-69 
advantage.
	However, when Southern Maine was unable to score over the next two minutes 
and seven seconds, the Huskies were forced to foul. The Panthers made 18 
consecutive free throws over the final 2:13 before sophomore guard Mike Loughlin 
(Manchester, N.H.) missed the second end of a two-shot situation with seven 
seconds to play.
	For the game, Plymouth State connected on a remarkable 37-42 free throws 
(.881), while it was 30-33 (.909) in the second half.  The Panthers also enjoyed 
a decided advantage off the glass, where they outrebounded the Huskies 48-29.
	Also registering double figures in points for the Panthers were senior 
center Jason Blackburn (Hudson, Mass.), who had 14 points, while Pelotte and 
sophomore center Ryan Chicoine (Gorham, Maine) added 13 points, and Loughlin 
contributed 10 points. Chicoine led all players with 13 rebounds.
	The Huskies were paced by senior guard Geoff Grigsby (Bridgton, Maine), 
who scored 17 points, while freshman guard Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) 
added 16 points, senior guard Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) had 15 points, 
and Garland added 10.
	Plymouth State, which improved to 9-5 overall and 4-2 in the Little East, 
returns to action on Saturday when it travels to UMass Dartmouth, while Southern 
Maine, which fell to 6-9 and 2-4, is also in action on Saturday, travelling to 
Western Connecticut State University.

********************************************************************************

Saturday, January 12, 2002

Eastern Connecticut Rallies Past Southern Maine, 99-88, in Overtime

	GORHAM, Maine: Senior center Billy Rea (Winsted, Conn.) scored a basket 
with 24 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 80-80, and Eastern 
Connecticut State University went on to post a 99-88 triumph in overtime against 
the University of Southern Maine, Saturday afternoon at Warren G. Hill 
Gymnasium.
	Senior guard Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) had an opportunity to win 
the game for Southern Maine, but he missed both ends of a two shot foul with two 
seconds remaining in regulation.
	Eastern Connecticut, which outscored Southern Maine by a 19-8 margin in 
overtime, connected on 15-of-18 free throws in the extra session. Rea gave the 
Warriors an 82-80 lead, when he sank a short jumper at 4:41 of the overtime, but 
sophomore guard Jeff White (Etna, Maine) tied the game for Southern Maine at 82-
82 with 4:21 remaining.
	The Warriors responded with an 11-0 run to put the game out of reach at 
93-82 with 54 seconds to play. Sophomore guard Gordon Shepard (Waterbury, Conn.) 
made a pair of free throws to give Eastern Connecticut the lead for good at 84-
82 with 4:06 to play.
	Southern Maine, which held a 39-37 break at the intermission, led 
throughout much of the second half. Eastern Connecticut rallied to tie the game 
at 51-51 with 13:19 remaining, but the Huskies answered with a 13-4 run to take 
a 64-55 advantage with 9:12 remaining. 
Eastern Connecticut slowly chipped away at the deficit, before Rea's basket tied 
the game at 80-80.
	The Warriors won the game at the line, where they connected on 38-50 
(.760) free throw attempts. By contrast the Huskies lost the game at the line, 
as they made just 16-30 (.533). The Huskies outscored the Warriors from the 
floor by a margin of 72-61.
	Southern Maine was led by freshman guard Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine), who 
scored 20 points, while sophomore guard Jeff White (Etna, Maine) added 14 and 
St. Pierre and freshman guard Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) contributed 10 
points apiece
	Eastern Connecticut countered with a balanced attack that placed six 
players in double figures, led by junior guard Christopher Morgan (Higganum, 
Conn.) who scored 20 points. Shepard added 16 points, senior guard Rich Vega 
(Hartford, Conn.) had 16 points,  sophomore center Michael Kipphut (Meriden, 
Conn.) contributed 14, senior guard Jason Leydon (Milford, Conn.) tallied 13, 
and Rea scored 11.
	Eastern Connecticut, which improved to 8-6 overall and 4-1 in the Little 
East Conference, will return to action on Tuesday, when it travels to Keene 
State, while Southern Maine, which fell to 6-8 and 2-3, is also in action on 
Tuesday night, when it entertains Plymouth State.

********************************************************************************

Tuesday, January 8, 2002

Southern Maine Routs Rhode Island College, 81-52

	GORHAM, Maine: Senior guard Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) scored a 
game-high 17 points to pace a balanced-offensive attack that saw three Huskies 
score in double figures, and the University of Southern Maine led from start to 
finish en route to an 81-52 rout of Rhode Island College on Tuesday night at 
Hill Gym.
	With the win, the Huskies improve to 6-7 overall and even their Little 
East Conference slate at 2-2, while the Anchormen fall to 0-13 overall and 0-4 
in the league.
	The outcome was never in question, as Southern Maine jumped to a 9-1 lead 
with 17:20 to play, and went up by 24-9 with 9:45 remaining, before taking a 
37-20 lead into the break.  In the second half, the Huskies took their largest 
lead at 59-24, on a three-pointer by freshman guard Linc Bigelow (St. Johnsbury, 
Vt.) with 11:10 to play.
	Rhode Island answered with a 9-1 run to pull within 60-33 on a free throw 
from senior forward Scott Main (Exeter, R.I.) with 9:31 to play. However, the 
Anchorman could trim the deficit no further.  Southern Maine held a decided edge 
in all facets of the game, outrebounding the Anchormen by a 51-29 margin, and 
holding them to a .315 (17-54) shooting percentage. 
	Bigelow finished with 16 points, while freshman guard Derek Lovely 
(Oxford, Maine) added 15 points. Junior forward Matt Tarbox (Standish, Maine) 
collected a game-co-high seven rebounds, as all 12 players who entered the game 
for Southern Maine registered at least one rebound.
	Rhode Island was paced by freshman forward Kevin Payette (Woonsocket, 
R.I.), who had 12 points, while junior guard James Heady (Bridgeport, Conn.) 
contributed 10 points and seven rebounds.
	The Anchormen return to action Thursday, when they travel to Bridgewater 
State, while the Huskies will entertain Eastern Connecticut on Saturday 
afternoon.

********************************************************************************

Saturday, January 5, 2002

Corsairs Come From Behind to Edge Huskies, 88-79

	NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass.  --  The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth 
Corsairs used an 18-0 run over a span of four-and-a-half minutes midway through 
the second half to wipe out a six-point deficit and went on to defeat the 
University of Southern Maine Huskies, 88-79, in a Little East Conference game 
Saturday afternoon.
	UMass Dartmouth improved to 8-3 overall and remained unbeaten in the 
conference at 3-0.  Southern Maine dipped to 5-7 overall and 1-2 in the 
conference.
	The Huskies built a 62-56 lead as senior Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) 
personally scored 12 straight USM points before the Corsairs called a timeout 
with 11:46 to play.
	Coming out of the timeout, junior Brian Cagle (Norwich, Conn.) ignited the 
decisive 18-0 run with a basket.  Senior Ivan Britto (New Bedford, Mass.) 
contributed five points during the run.
	St. Pierre broke the run with a three-point shot that left the Huskies 
trailing 74-65.  That shot started the Huskies on their own 9-0 run to get back 
within three (74-71) with four minutes to play.  UMD held on down the stretch, 
outscoring USM 14-8 over the final minutes.
	USM buried 11 three-point shots in the first half to build a 44-42 margin 
at the break.  The Huskies biggest lead came when sophomore Jeff White (Etna, 
Maine) hit a trifecta to make it 28-18 with 8:41 to go in the half.
	St. Pierre finished the game with 19 points to pace five Huskies in double 
figures.  Freshman Ryan Garland came off the bench to toss in 11.  Freshman Linc 
Bigelow (St. Johnsbury, Vt.), junior Ryan Thomas (Hampden, Maine) and White each 
had 10.
	Cagle led the Corsairs' balanced attack with 19 points, and grabbed a 
game-high seven rebounds.  Senior Brian Austin (Winchendon, Mass.) had 17, 
junior Tim Gaspar (Dartmouth, Mass.) added 16 and dished out 10 assists for a 
double-double, Britto finished with 15 and freshman Chris Lapriore (Grafton, 
Mass.) ended up with 10.
	Southern Maine connected on 11 of 13 shots (84.6 percent) from beyond the 
arc in the first half, but made only three of 17 long-range tries in the second 
half.  UMass Dartmouth shot 56 percent (32 for 57) from the floor for the game, 
and had a big advantage in free throws attempts (29-11), particularly down the 
stretch when the Huskies were forced to foul, during the game.
	The Huskies will return home Tuesday night to host Rhode Island College in 
a Little East game, starting at 7:30 p.m.  The Corsairs will travel to Eastern 
Connecticut State University, also on Tuesday, for a conference game.

********************************************************************************

Thursday, January 3, 2002

White, Huskies Hang on to Beat Haverford, 83-79

	NEWPORT NEWS, Va.  --  Sophomore forward Jeff White (Etna, Maine) scored a 
season-high 23 points to pace four players in double figures as the University 
of Southern Maine Huskies held off a late rally by the Haverford College Fords 
to post an 83-79 victory in the consolation game of the Ramada Inn/Captains 
Shootout tournament held at The Freeman Center on the campus of Christopher 
Newport University.
	The win snapped a three-game losing streak and improved the Huskies 
overall mark to 5-6.  Haverford remained winless on the season at 0-12.
	The Huskies had an eight-point lead (73-65) with 4:40 to play, but the 
Fords cut the deficit to a single point (80-79) with a 14-7 run before freshman 
Mike Francouer (Somersworth, N.H.) converted a free throw and White added a pair 
of charity tosses in the final 18 seconds to ice the win.
	White made 8 of 15 shots from the floor, including 3 of 6 from behind the 
three-point line, and all four of his free throws for his 23 points.  He also 
grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds to post his second double-double of the season.
	Senior Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) added 13 points, freshman Ryan 
Garland (Hermon, Maine) came off the bench to toss in 12 and Francouer added 10 
for the Huskies.  USM made 12 of 28 shots from three-point territory in the 
game.
	Haverford freshman Mark Gabriel (Kingwood, Texas) shared game-high scoring 
honors with White with 23 points.  Gabriel made 9 of 11 shots from the floor and 
5 of 7 from the foul line.  Freshman Matt Stein (Allentown, Pa.) came off the 
bench to make 9 of 10 shots for 18 points and hauled down a game-high 11 
rebounds.  The Fords held a 47-33 edge on the boards.
	Southern Maine travels to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth on 
Saturday for a Little East Conference game.  Haverford will try to snap its 
winless streak next Thursday (January 10) at Western Maryland.
	In the championship game, Christopher Newport rallied from a 16-point 
first half deficit to edge New Jersey City University, 78-74.  Named to the all-
tournament team were USM's White, Stein from Haverford, Irv Jenkins from New 
Jersey City University, and Terry Gray and Jerry Woods of Christopher Newport.  
CNU's Carlos Heard was named the MVP.

********************************************************************************

Wednesday, January 2, 2002

Ramada Inn/Captains Shootout @ Christopher Newport University

New Jersey City Downs Southern Maine 81-70

	NEWPORT NEWS, Va.  ---  Sophomore forward Samar Battle (East Orange, N.J.) 
poured in a game-high 19 points to pace four players in double figures as the 
New Jersey City University Gothic Knights defeated the University of Southern 
Maine Huskies 81-70 in the opening round of the Ramada Inn/Captains Shootout at 
Christopher Newport University (Newport News, Va.) Wednesday night.
	The loss was the third straight for the Huskies who fell to 4-6 overall,  
They will meet the loser of the Christopher Newport-Haverford game in the 
consolation round Thursday evening at 6 p.m.  The Gothic Knights won their third 
straight to improve to 8-3 overall and will play for the championship at 8 p.m.
	Battle was supported by junior George Thomas (Jersey City, N.J.) with 13 
points, senior Irv Jenkins (Jersey City, N.J.) with 12 points and junior Jose 
Martinez (Weehawken, N.J.) with 10.  Six-foot-6 senior Marcisco Morrison 
(Irvington, N.J.) pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds to help the Gothic Knights 
to a 57-42 advantage on the boards.
	Senior Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) led the Huskies, playing for the 
first time since December 11, with 16 points.  Freshman Mike Francouer 
(Somersworth, N.H.) and sophomore Jeff White (Etna, Maine) each contributed 11 
points.

********************************************************************************

Tuesday, December 11, 2001

Vikings Hold Off Huskies Rally, 89-80

	SALEM, Mass.  --  The Salem State Vikings, led by junior forward Victor 
Paulino's (Haverhill, Mass.) 22 points, built a 21-point halftime lead, then 
held off a furious rally by the University of Southern Maine Huskies to post an 
89-80 victory Tuesday night in a non-conference game at the O'Keefe Center.
	Salem State got back to the .500 mark for the first time since the opening 
weekend of the season with the win.  The Vikings head into the holiday break at 
4-4 overall.  Southern Maine fell to 4-5 overall.
	Paulino and sophomore Bobby Michaelczyk (Lowell, Mass.) combined for 19 
points in the first half as the Vikings shot 48 percent (20 for 42) from the 
floor to build a 51-30 lead.  Freshman Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) was the lone 
bright spot for USM in the opening half with 12 points.
	Southern Maine staged a furious rally in the second half to pull within 
four (62-58) with ten minutes to play.  Over a seven-minute span, the Huskies 
went on a 22-4 run, sparked by senior Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) and 
sophomore Jeff White (Etna, Maine), to get back in the game, but the Huskies 
were never able to get any closer.
	Salem State preserved the win by scoring its final 11 points from the foul 
line.  The Vikings had a 39-20 advantage in free throws for the game.
	Paulino connected on 8 of 13 shots from the floor and 6 of 13 from the 
line for his game-high 22 points.  Michaelczyk was 6 of 10 from the floor on the 
way to 17 points, and he grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds.  Sophomore guard Ryan 
Connor (Worcester, Mass.) had 12 points (9 of 10 at the line) and eight assists.  
Senior Peter Szklarz (Auburn, Mass.) came off the bench to add 11.
	St. Pierre, held to just two points in the first half, exploded for 19 
points in the second half to finish with 21 points.  White had 16 points, 
including four three-point shots.  Garland also had 16 points.
	Southern Maine is off until January 2-3 when its travels south to 
participate in the Christopher Newport Classic.  Salem State returns to action 
hosting the Salem State Christmas Tournament, December 29-30.

********************************************************************************

Saturday, December 8, 2001

Keene State Routs Southern Maine, 104-75

	KEENE, N.H.: Senior forward David Stantial (Beverly, Mass.) registered 
game highs of 27 points and 10 rebounds, as Keene State College jumped to an 
early lead on the University of Southern Maine, and never looked back en route 
to a 104-75 Little East Conference triumph Saturday afternoon at Spaulding 
Gymnasium.
	A three-pointer from senior forward Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) gave 
Southern Maine a 7-5 advantage at the 17:47 mark of the first half.
	However, over the ensuing two minutes and 48 seconds, Keene State went on 
a 19-0 run, culminating  with a three-pointer from Stantial to take a 21-7 
advantage with 14:59 to play. Southern Maine pulled to within 12 points on three 
occasions in the first half, with the last time occurring at 36-24on a layup 
from sophomore forward Ryan Thomas (Hampden, Maine) with 8:16 remaining.
	Keene State closed out the first half with a 21-10 run to take its largest 
lead of the opening 20 minutes at 57-34. The Owls built their lead from the 
perimeter, where they connected on a sizzling 9-of-13 (.692) three-point 
attempts in the first half.   
	Following the break, the Huskies could pull no closer than  66-46 on a 
three-pointer by St. Pierre with 14:18 to play. 
	A short jumper by sophomore guard T.J. Mullins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) gave 
the Owls their largest lead of the game, 104-68, with 1:34 remaining.
	Southern Maine scored the last eight points for the 104-75 final score.
	Sophomore guard Chris Timson (Beverly, Mass.) contributed 13 points and 
junior guard Derek Swenson (Attleboro, Mass.) added 12 points for the Owls, who 
received at least one point from 14 of the 15 players in uniform.  Southern 
Maine was led by freshman forward Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine), who scored 12 
points, and junior guard Ryan Soucie (Caribou, Maine), who added 12 points.
	Keene State, which improved to 7-1 overall and 2-0 in the LEC, held a 55-
39 edge on the boards, and connected on 32-of-69 (.464) of its field goals, 
including 14-of-28 (.500) from beyond the three-point arc. 
	Southern Maine, which fell to 4-4 and 1-1, made just 23-of-69 (.333) field 
goals. 
	The Huskies will play their final game before a 22-day semester break on 
Tuesday, December 11, when they travel to Salem State. Keene State is now idle 
until hosting Western Connecticut on Tuesday, January 8, 2002.

********************************************************************************

Wednesday, December 5, 2001

Southern Maine Rallies Past Colby College, 80-71

	GORHAM, Maine: Senior forward Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) led all 
scorers with a career-high 30 points, and the University of Southern Maine 
overcame an eight-point second half deficit to post a thrilling 80-71 triumph 
over visiting Colby College Wednesday night at Warren G. Hill Gymnasium. 
	On the strength of senior guard Damien Strahorn's (Menlo Park, Cal.) 22 
first half points, Colby College took a 40-32 advantage into the break.
	Southern Maine employed a lethal long-range offense to chip away at the 
deficit in the early portion of the second half. Four of the Huskies first seven 
field goals were from beyond the three-point arc. A three-pointer from senior 
guard Geoff Grigsby (Bridgton, Maine) pulled the Huskies to within 51-50 with 
10:56 remaining in the contest. 
	A running lay-up from junior forward Matt Tarbox (Standish, Maine) gave 
the Huskies their first lead of the second half at 54-53 with 9:47 to play. 
	The teams traded field goals on their next two possessions, with Colby 
taking its final lead of the game at 57-56 on a short jumper by junior forward 
Sean Flood (Waterville, Maine) with 8:42 to play.
	Southern Maine answered with a 14-2 run, which included 10 points from St. 
Pierre, to build a comfortable 70-59 advantage with 4:22 to play. The Huskies 
scored their final seven points from the line to preserve the win.
	The Huskies connected on 18-of-33 (.545) second half shots, and outscored 
the White Mules by a 48-31 margin in the final 20 minutes.
	Sophomore guard Jeff White (Etna, Maine) contributed 13 points and 14 
rebounds, while Grigsby added 11 points for Southern Maine, which improved to 
4-3.
	Colby, which fell to 5-3, received 29 points and nine rebounds from 
Strahorn, while Flood added 11 points. 

********************************************************************************

Tuesday, December 4, 2001

USM's Derek Lovely Named MCBCWA Rookie of the Week

	GORHAM, Maine  --  Derek Lovely, a freshman guard on the University of 
Southern Maine men's basketball team has been selected as the Rookie of the Week 
by the Maine College Basketball Coaches and Writers Association for the week of 
November 26-December 2.  The selection was announced Tuesday.
	In three games last week, Lovely (Oxford, Maine) averaged 13.7 points 
while shooting .481 (13 for 27) from the field, including .500 (9 for 18) from 
beyond the three-point arc.  He also dished out eight assists and made four 
steals.
	After a six-point effort off the bench in the Huskies' heart-breaking 61-
59 loss to Bowdoin College on Tuesday (November 27), Lovely made his first 
collegiate start against the University of New England on Thursday a memorable 
one.  The 6-foot shooting guard poured home 23 points, making 7 of 11 shots from 
the floor (5 of 7 from three-point range), passing out four assists and making 
two steals in 23 minutes as the Huskies routed UNE 108-70.  He closed the week 
contributing 12 points and a pair of assists in USM's 80-64 upset win over 
Little East Conference preseason favorite Western Connecticut State University.
	For the season, Lovely is third on the Huskies' scoring list averaging 9.2 
points.  He has made 14 of 30 shots (.467) from the floor, including 10 of 21 
three-point tries (.476), and 8 of 10 shots from the foul line.  He is ranked 
second in three-point field goal percentage in the Little East, and tied for 
second in the state according to statistics released Tuesday.
	Southern Maine, 3-3 overall, returns to action Wednesday evening hosting 
in-state rival Colby College in a non-conference game at the Warren G. Hill 
Gymnasium.  The opening tap is set for 7:30 p.m.

********************************************************************************

Saturday, December 1, 2001

Huskies Upend Colonials 80-64 in LEC Opener

	GORHAM, Maine  --  Senior Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) scored a team-
high 17 points, all coming in the second half, to pace four players in double 
figures as the University of Southern Maine Huskies upended the Western 
Connecticut State University Colonials, 80-64, at the Warren G. Hill Gymnasium 
Saturday afternoon in the Little East Conference opener for both teams.
	The win got the Huskies back to the .500 mark overall for the first time 
this season at 3-3.  Western Connecticut, the preseason favorite in the LEC, 
dipped to 2-3 overall.
	USM used a 19-8 run over the final eight minutes of the first half to 
erase a three-point deficit (25-22) and take a 41-33 advantage to the locker 
room.  Sophomore Steve Estes (York, Maine) ignited the run with a three-point 
play that tied the score.  Estes had five points, and sophomore Jeff White 
(Etna, Maine) and junior Ryan Thomas (Hampden, Maine) each chipped in four each 
during the run.
	The Huskies maintained the lead throughout the second half, but could not 
put the Colonials away.  Western Connecticut pulled within seven twice in the 
late going, the final time at 66-59 when freshman Kimani Crawford (West 
Hartford, Conn.) converted a three-point play with 6:10 to play.
	Southern Maine pushed the lead up to 15, outscoring the visitors 12-4 over 
the next five minutes.
	St. Pierre grabbed six rebounds, dished out four assists and made six 
steals to go along with his team-high 17 points.  Estes posted a double-double, 
finishing with 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.  Freshman Derek Lovely 
(Oxford, Maine) and White also finished with 12 points.
	Junior Mark Carter (Peekskill, N.Y.) led all scorers with 19 points for 
the Colonials.  Sophomore Andoni Alberdi (Windsor, Conn.) was the only other 
Western Connecticut player to reach double figures with 10 points.
	USM used a scrambling, trapping defense to force 30 Colonial turnovers 
during the game.  The Huskies shot 39.5 percent (30-of-76) from the floor.  The 
Colonials shot 44 percent (28-of-68) from the floor and had a 51-44 edge on the 
boards.

********************************************************************************

Thursday, November 29, 2001

Huskies Blow Out Nor'easters 108-70

	BIDDEFORD, Maine  --  Senior forward Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) and 
freshman guard Derek Lovely (Oxford, Maine) shared game-high scoring honors with 
23 points apiece as the University of Southern Maine Huskies exploded in the 
second half to rout the University of New England Nor'easters 108-70 in a non-
conference game Thursday night at the UNE Campus Center.
	The win improved the Huskies overall record to 2-3 heading into Saturday 
afternoonís Little East Conference opener at home against preseason favorite 
Western Connecticut State University.  The 108 points were the most by a USM 
team since January 1992 when the Huskies poured in 116 against the University of 
Massachusetts Dartmouth.
	UNE remained winless on the season, falling to 0-5.  The Nor'easters look 
to break into the win column on Saturday when they host Newbury College.
	In the first 13 minutes of play, there were six lead changes and four 
ties.  Lovely's three-pointer with 7:33 to go in the half gave the Huskies the 
lead (27-26) for good.  USM used a 30-14 run over the final seven-plus minutes 
to take a 54-40 lead into the locker room at the break.  Lovely had 11 points 
and St. Pierre chipped in six during that span.
	USM broke the game wide open in the second half, shooting a blistering 73 
percent (22-of-30) from the floor.  After a basket by UNE's sophomore guard Dan 
Mills (Windham, Maine) pulled the Noríeasters within 12 (60-48) with 17 minutes 
to play, the Huskies went a 26-6 blitz over the next nine minutes to take a 
commanding 32-point lead.  St. Pierre had seven points in the decisive stretch, 
and five other players contributed points.
	Lovely connected on 7-of-11 shots from the field, including 5-of-7 shots 
from three-point territory, and 4-of-5 free throws for his season-high 23 
points.  St. Pierre hit 8-of-13 from the floor, and 5-of-8 from the line.  
Senior guard Geoff Grigsby (Bridgton, Maine) and sophomore swingman Steve Estes 
(York, Maine) came off the bench to score 15 and 13, respectively.  Freshman 
Linc Bigelow (St. Johnsbury, Vt.), making his first collegiate start, also had 
13 points.
	Senior swingman Ricky Sirois (Saco, Maine) and Hills shared team-high 
scoring honors for the Noríeasters with 15 points each.  Senior Aaron Beaulieu 
(Hampden, Maine) added 11 points and sophomore Nyaten Gaye (Providence, R.I.) 
chipped in with 10 points.  Sirois also had a game-high 10 rebounds while Hills 
grabbed nine caroms.
	UNE, which shot 48 percent (13-of-27) from the floor in the first half, 
was ice cold in the second half.  The Noríeasters connected on just 7-of-34 
shots (21 percent) after the break to finish the game shooting 33 percent (20-
of-61).  They also committed 24 turnovers.  UNE did have a 50-36 advantage on 
the boards.

********************************************************************************

Tuesday, November 27, 2001

Bowdoin Overcomes Spirited Southern Maine Rally, 61-59

	GORHAM, Maine: The University of Southern Maine overcame a 24-point 
second-half deficit, but senior guard Greg Orlicz (Liverpool, NY) drained a pair 
of free throws with 17 seconds left to restore the lead as Bowdoin College 
pulled out a 61-59 triumph on Thursday night at the Warren G. Hill Gymnasium.
	Bowdoin took a 39-24 edge into the intermission, and opened the second 
half with an 11-2 run to forge a 50-26 advantage with 15:30 to play.
	Southern Maine responded with a 30-6 run, tying the contest at 56-56 on a 
three-pointer by senior guard Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) with 3:34 to 
play. Junior forward Jon Farmer (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) sank the front end of 
a one-and-one free throw opportunity to regain the lead for the Polar Bears at 
57-56 with 3:24 to play. 
	The Huskies responded with a three-pointer from freshman guard Linc 
Bigelow (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) to take their only lead of the night at 59-57 with 
2:26 to play.  However, Maine would not score again, while Bowdoin connected on 
4-of-6 foul shots in the final two minutes to register the win.
	Senior guard Mark Gilbride (Topsham, Maine) made the back end of two foul 
shots with six seconds remaining to account for the 61-59 final. The clock ran 
out before Southern Maine could attempt a final shot.
 	Southern Maine limited Bowdoin to just six field goals in the second half, 
and held the Polar Bears scoreless from the floor over the final 12:20.  
Bowdoin, which committed 22 turnovers, won the game on the boards, where it 
owned a 53-25 advantage.
	Senior forward Chris Ranslow (Hallowell, Maine) registered game-highs of 
20 points and 13 rebounds, while Orlicz added 14 points, and Farmer contributed 
12 rebounds for Bowdoin, which improved to 3-1.
	Southern Maine, which fell to 1-3, was led by St. Pierre, who had 14 
points and eight boards, while sophomore guard Steve Estes (York, Maine) added 
nine points. 

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Tuesday, November 20, 2001

Francoeur Leads Huskies to First Win

	GORHAM, Maine  --  Freshman point guard Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) 
scored four of the University of Southern Maine's final five points to help the 
Huskies gain their first win of the season, a 78-76 decision over the previously 
unbeaten Bates College Bobcats in a non-conference game Tuesday night at the 
Warren G. Hill Gymnasium.
	The win snapped the Huskies two-game losing skid and improved their 
overall record to 1-2.  Bates lost for the first time, falling to 2-1.
	Southern Maine tied the game at 73-73 with 2:30 to play when freshman 
forward Jay Casterella (Portland, Maine) buried a three-point shot from the 
corner.  Bates regained the lead on its next possession when sophomore guard 
Ramon Garcia (Haverhill, Mass.) hit a three-pointer.
	Francoeur hit two free throws with 1:55 left to pull the Huskies within 
one, then hit what proved to be the winning shot with 25 seconds to play, giving 
USM a 77-76 lead.  Casterella was fouled with ten seconds to go, and made one of 
two free throws.
	Neither team was able to build a big lead in the game.  USM had a six-
point lead late in the first half, but the Bobcats used an 11-3 run over the 
final three minutes top take a 42-40 lead in to the locker room at the Half.
	Bates had a 58-51 margin midway through the second half behind senior Alex 
Wilson's (Duxbury, Mass.) six points, but the Huskies came back to outscore the 
visitors 14-7 over a five minute span to tie the game at 65-65.  There were four 
lead changes over the final seven minutes of play.
	Casterella led three players in double figures for the Huskies with 15 
points.  Francoeur finished with 13 points while senior swingman Jason St. 
Pierre (Bangor, Maine) had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
	Wilson led all scorers in the game with 18 points and shared game-high 
rebounding honors with St. Pierre with ten caroms.  Senior guard Billy Hart 
(Haverhill, Mass.) chipped in with 11 points and junior Angelo Salvaggio 
(Portland, Maine) contributed 10 points off the bench.
	Southern Maine will be off until Tuesday, November 27 when Bowdoin College 
comes to Gorham.  Bates will play the University of New England in its home 
opener on Monday, November 26.

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Saturday, November 17, 2001

The Hancock Lumber MAINE EVENT
at Gorham, Maine

St. Joseph's College Rallies Past USM in Maine Event Consolation, 85-76

	GORHAM, Maine: Sophomore guard Jimmy Ahern (Worcester, Mass.) scored a 
game high 25 points and added eight rebounds, as St. Joseph's College overcame 
an 8-point halftime deficit to post an 85-76 win over tournament host University 
of Southern Maine in the consolation round of the Maine Event Saturday afternoon 
at Warren G. Hill Gymnasium.
	Trailing 46-38 at the break, St. Joseph's opened the second half with an 
11-2 run, culminated by a short jumper from senior guard Torey McPherson 
(Mapleton, Maine) to take the lead for good at 49-47 with 16:04 remaining.
	Southern Maine pulled to within 54-52 on a pair of free throws from senior 
forward Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) with 13:00 to play, but could cut the 
deficit no further. The Monks answered with seven consecutive points to build a 
61-52 advantage with 11:33 to play.
	A pair of free throws from freshman guard Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, 
N.H) pulled Maine to within 66-63 with 8:35 remaining, but St. Joseph's scored 
four straight points to extend the lead to 70-63 with 7:17 remaining. Southern 
Maine could not cut the deficit to less than five points the rest of the way, 
while St. Joseph's enjoyed its largest lead of 84-72 with 40 seconds remaining.
	Freshman guard Bilal Dawan-Abdullah (Dorchester, Mass.) added 15 points 
and seven rebounds, while McPherson contributed 14 points, and junior forward 
Brandon Stewart (Silver Springs, Md.) added 13 points and a game-high nine 
rebounds for St. Joseph's, which improved to 1-1.
	Southern Maine, which fell to 0-2, was paced by St. Pierre, who scored 19 
points and collected seven boards, while freshman guard Gerald Bigelow (St. 
Johnsbury, Vt.) added 14 points and junior forward Ryan Thomas (Hampden, Maine) 
and Francoeur had 10 points apiece.

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Saturday, November 17, 2001

The Hancock Lumber MAINE EVENT
at Gorham, Maine

Lancaster Leads Husson Past Colby 76-74

	GORHAM, Maine  --  Senior guard and tournament most valuable player 
Quinson Lancaster (Fairfield, Maine) buried a pair of free throws with nine 
seconds to play to give the Husson College Braves a 76-74 victory over the Colby 
College White Mules in the championship game of The Hancock Lumber MAINE EVENT 
tournament Saturday afternoon.  The tournament was played at the Warren G. Hill 
Gymnasium on the campus of the University of Southern Maine.
	Husson improved to 2-0 on the season while Colby, the defending champion, 
dropped to 1-1.  In the consolation game, St. Joseph's College defeated the 
University of Southern Maine 85-76.
	The Braves appeared to have the game in hand, leading 72-66 with 1:19 to 
play after Lancaster scored on a lay-up breaking the Colby press.
	Colby hung tough, outscoring Husson 8-2 over the next 53 seconds, and tied 
the game 74-74 on senior Damien Strahorn's (Menlo Park, Calif.) three -point 
basket.
	After a Husson timeout with 17 seconds left, Lancaster drove to the basket 
and was fouled.  He made the first free throw before Colby called a timeout.  
After Lancaster nailed the second charity toss, Colby had one last chance, but 
senior guard Joe Gutierrez (Westbrook, Maine) was forced to take an off-balance, 
desperation three-point try that missed at the buzzer.
	Husson trailed throughout the first half, falling behind 9-0 in the first 
seven minutes before Lancaster put the Braves on the board.  A late surge by the 
Braves got them back within three (30-27) at the half.
	Lancaster, junior forward Randy Fletcher (Temple Hills, Md.) and junior 
guard Ryan Rivera (Bradford, Maine) led an early second half outburst that gave 
the Braves the lead.  The lead grew to as much as nine (69-60) with 2:41 to play 
before the White Mules put together a final rally behind Strahorn, Gutierrez and 
junior forward Kevin Crosman (Beth, Maine).
	Junior Nate Cyr (Howland, Maine) of Husson led all scorers with 17 points.  
Lancaster ended up with 16 points, six rebounds, four assists and five steals 
while playing all 40 minutes.  Rivera chipped in with 14 while Fletcher and 
sophomore Scott Griffin (Presque Isle, Maine) each had 12 points.
	Crosman led Colby with 16 points.  Strahorn had 14 points and junior Sean 
Flood (Waterville, Maine) chipped in with 11 points off the bench.
	Name to the all-tournament team were Strahorn and Crosman from Colby, 
Fletcher from Husson, St. Joseph's sophomore guard Jimmy Ahern (Worcester, 
Mass.) and Southern Maine senior swingman Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine).
	Ahern had a game-high 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead four 
scorers in double figures as St. Joseph's beat Southern Maine in the consolation 
game.  St. Pierre, with 19 points, led four players in double digits for the 
Huskies.

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Friday, November 16, 2001

The Hancock Lumber MAINE EVENT
at Gorham, Maine

Husson Tops Southern Maine, 76-67

	GORHAM, Maine  --  Junior forward Randy Fletcher (Temple Hills, Md.) 
connected on 11-of-14 shots from the field to lead four scorers in double 
figures as the Husson College Braves defeated the University of Southern Maine 
Huskies 76-67 in the first round of The Hancock Lumber MAINE EVENT tournament 
Friday night at the Warren G. Hill Gymnasium.  The game was the season opener 
for both squads.
	Husson will meet Colby College, a 79-71, come-from-behind winner over St. 
Joseph's College, in the championship game at 3:00 p.m.  Southern Maine and St. 
Joseph's will meet in the consolation game, starting at 1:00 p.m.
	Husson never trailed in the game, as Fletcher dominated inside, scoring 15 
points (7-of-8 shooting) in the first half.  The Braves shot 53 percent (18-of-
34) in the first half to build a 38-26 margin by the break.  Southern Maine was 
cold from the floor, hitting only 32 percent (11-of-34) of its shots.
	Southern Maine made it close late with a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to 72-
67 with 1:44 to play as senior Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) knocked down two 
three-point shots, followed by another trifecta from freshman Linc Bigelow (St. 
Johnsbury, Vt.).  Husson was able to hold on to the lead, converting four of 
eight free throws in the final 1:35.
	Fletcher finished with a game-high 26 points and shared game-high 
rebounding honors with 10 caroms.  Junior Ryan Rivera (Bradford, Maine) and 
senior Quinson Lancaster (Fairfield, Maine) each chipped in 12 points while 
sophomore Scott Griffin (Presque Isle, Maine) added 11 points.  Lancaster also 
grabbed 10 boards and dished out five assists.
	Freshman Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) led the Huskies with 16 points in 
his collegiate debut while classmate Mike Francouer (Somersworth, N.H.) had 15 
points.  St. Pierre also finished in double figures with 12 points.
	Husson finished the game shooting 47 percent from the floor and had a 44-
37 edge in the boards.  Southern Maine took 15 more shots than the visitors, but 
converted just 36 percent of its shots (26-of-73).  The Braves had a big edge at 
the foul line, cashing in on 20 of 31 free throws while the Huskies went just 5 
of 10 from the charity stripe.

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Friday, November 16, 2001

The Hancock Lumber MAINE EVENT
at Gorham, Maine

Colby Comes From Behind to Down St. Joseph's 79-71

	GORHAM, Maine  --  Junior Kevin Crosman (Beth, Maine) and senior Damien 
Strahorn (Menlo Park, Calif.) combined for 45 points as the Colby College White 
Mules rallied from an eight-point halftime deficit to defeat the St. Joseph's 
College Monks, 79-71, in the first round of The Hancock Lumber MAINE EVENT being 
played at the University of Southern Maine's Warren G. Hill Gymnasium.  The game 
was the season opener for both teams.
	Colby will meet Husson College in the championship game Saturday afternoon 
at 3:00 p.m.  Husson defeated the University of Southern Maine, 76-67, in the 
other first round game.  Southern Maine meets St. Joseph's in the consolation 
game at 1:00 p.m.
	Trailing by seven with just under nine minutes to play, the White Mules, 
led by Strahorn's seven consecutive points, went on an 8-0 to regain the lead 
when Crosman dropped in a free throw with 3:30 to play.
	After the Monks' Jimmy Ahern (Worcester, Mass.) scored to give St. Joe's 
its last advantage, Colby took the lead for good on Strahorn's three-point field 
goal.  The White Mules outscored the Monks 8-2 over the final two minutes to 
preserve the win.
	Colby came out of the blocks quickly to take an early 22-6 lead as Crosman 
dropped in nine points.  The Monks rallied over the final 10 minutes with a 33-9 
run to take a 39-31 lead to the locker room.
	Crosman had a game-high 10 rebounds to go along with his 24 points.  
Strahorn finished with 21 points while sophomore Nick Loukes (Bangor, Maine) 
reached double figures with 10 points.
	St. Joseph's 6-9 junior C.J. Vose (Yarmouth, Maine) led all scorers with 
29 points.

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Thursday, November 8, 2001

Men's Basketball Captains Named at USM

	GORHAM, Maine:  Senior guards Jason St. Pierre (Bangor, Maine) and Geoff 
Grigsby (Bridgton, Maine) have been named co-captains of the University of 
Southern Maine 2001-02 men's basketball team.  The announcement was made today 
by sixth-year Head Coach Dan Costigan.
	"Jason and Geoff are a pair of highly-competitive, seasoned veterans who 
will prove to be the ideal captains for this year's team," said Coach Costigan. 
"They are the only seniors on the team, and their experience and leadership will 
be pivotal to our overall success."
	This year's edition of Southern Maine men's basketball features seven new 
faces, including six freshmen on its 13-member roster. Coach Costigan welcomes 
back just six lettermen from last year's 8-16 club, which finished eighth in the 
Little East Conference with a 3-11 ledger.
	"With our new personnel we have the luxury of greater versatility," said 
Costigan. "We should be able to play a number of styles effectively, and be a 
difficult team to defend. However, with the amount of turnover we had, we will 
need to quickly develop into a cohesive unit, and we will turn to Jason and 
Geoff to lead the way."
	A three-year starter, St. Pierre averaged a team-leading 12.3 points per 
game a year ago, and finished fourth in the conference in three-point field goal 
percentage (.393; 44-of-112). He registered double figures in points in 16 
games, including a season-high 23-point effort in the 80-61 home win over Rhode 
Island College. A solid all-around player, St. Pierre contributed 3. 7 rebounds, 
while finishing the year with 40 assists, 37 steals and seven blocked shots.
	"Jason leaves it all on the court," praised Costigan. "His work ethic and 
dedication will serve as a tremendous example for our younger players."
	While St. Pierre is a leader by example, Grigsby is a vocal presence, who 
spent the fall months serving as team captain of the Southern Maine men's soccer 
team. In 23 contests a year ago, he averaged 3.8 points and 1.8 rebounds, while 
dishing out 23 assists and collecting 12 steals. His season-high of 12 points 
also came in the home win over RIC, when he was a perfect three-of-three from 
beyond the three-point arc and from the free throw line.
	"When a student-athlete is elected team captain in two sports, that alone 
speaks volumes about the type of leader he is," commented Costigan. "He is a 
level-headed individual who will be a positive influence and solid role model 
for our younger players."
	St. Pierre and Grigsby will lead the club on an ambitious 25-game, 
regular-season schedule, which includes 12 home dates, and a full slate of 14 
league contests. The Huskies commence the campaign by hosting the two-game Maine 
Event Tournament on Friday-Saturday, November 16-17. Southern Maine will play 
Husson College (8:00) in the opening round, and either Colby or St. Joseph's 
(1:00/3:00) in the second round.
	Southern Maine will play home games against Bates (7:30) on Nov. 20 and 
Bowdoin (7:30) on Nov. 27, before travelling to the University of New England 
(7:30) on Nov. 29.
	The Huskies will play a pair of home games during the month of December, 
opening league play against Western Connecticut (3:00) on Dec. 1, and Colby 
(7:30) on Dec. 5, while travelling to Keene State (3:00) on Dec. 8, and Salem 
State (8:00) on Dec. 11.
	The month of January consists of games on Jan. 2-3 at the Christopher 
Newport Classic in Newport News, Va; Jan. 5, at UMass Dartmouth (3:00); Jan. 8, 
Rhode Island College (7:30); Jan 12, Eastern Connecticut (3:00); Jan. 15, 
Plymouth State (7:30); Jan. 19, at Western Connecticut (3:00); Jan. 22, UMass 
Boston (7:30); Jan. 24, at Thomas (7:00); Jan. 26, Keene State (3:00); Jan 30, 
at St. Joseph's (7:30).
	The Huskies close out the regular season with games on Feb. 2, UMass 
Dartmouth (3:00); Feb. 5, at Plymouth State (7:30); Feb. 9, at Rhode Island 
College (3:00), Feb. 12, at UMass Boston (7:30); and Feb. 16, at Eastern 
Connecticut (3:00).
	The Little East Conference tournament, which will involve only the top six 
teams, will have two first round games on February 19. The semifinals and finals 
will be held at the site of the regular-season champion on February 22-23. The 
winner of the tournament will receive an automatic bid to the 2001 NCAA Division 
III Men's Basketball Championship Tournament.

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