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SEASON COMPLETED
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Monday, March 3, 2003
USM's Jason Levecque Named LEC Co-Player of the Year
GORHAM, Maine -- Sophomore guard Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) of the
University of Southern Maine Huskies men's basketball team has been named Co-
Player of the Year in the Little East Conference according to the results of
voting by the conference's eight head coaches.
Levecque shared the league's top honor with sophomore guard Nick Pelotte of
Plymouth State College. The individual awards and conference all-star teams were
announced Monday afternoon by William M. Moore, commissioner of the Little East
Conference.
Other individual award winners included freshman forward Devon Maiorano of
the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth who was named the Rookie of the Year,
and Bob Campbell of Western Connecticut State University who was selected by his
peers as the Coach of the Year.
In addition to being named Co-Players of the Year, Levecque and Pelotte were
named to the conference's six-member first all-star team. Joining them on the
conference's elite team are University of Massachusetts Boston sophomore center
Billy Allen, UMass Dartmouth senior forward Brian Cagle, Plymouth State College
sophomore forward Anthony Oglesby and junior forward Marvin Evans of Western
Connecticut.
Named to the five-member all-conference second team were Keene State
College's senior guard Derek Swenson and junior guard Chris Timson, senior guard
Tim Gaspar from UMass Dartmouth, junior forward Johnafer White of Rhode Island
College and Western Connecticut senior guard Casey Bock.
"Jason getting this award is pretty unique in that we were 3-11 in the
conference this year. That doesn't happen very often," commented seventh-year head
coach Dan Costigan. "It's a tribute to Jason. He averaged over 23 points a game
and was the guy everyone tired to stop.
"He is our most athletic player. He was our leading scorer, and our leading
rebounder. He is a hungry player who practiced everyday like it was a game. That
helped him get better as a player as the year went along," added Costigan.
Levecque is the fourth USM player to receive LEC Player of the Year honors in
the 17-year history of the conference. Others to have won the award previously
include Jeff Bowers (1988-89), Tim Bonsant (1990-91) and Mike Fennessy (1999-
2000).
The 6-foot-2 Levecque, who transferred to USM from Keene State, was the
leading scorer in the Little East this season, averaging 23.7 points per game, and
ranked third in free throw percentage (.794). He was named LEC Player of the Week
on two occasions and was on the weekly honor roll numerous times.
He led the Huskies in rebounding (5.5 rpg) and three-point field goals (45).
He shot 46.2
percent (194 of 420) from the field, including 37.2 percent (45 of 121) from
beyond the arc, and 79.4 percent from the foul line (112 of 141). He scored in
double figures in all 23 games he played (he missed two games due to injuries),
and had three double-doubles. Six times during the season he scored 30 or more
points, including a career high 37 against Rhode Island College on February 15.
Among the other honors he received during the season were two Player of the
Week citations from the Maine College Basketball Coaches and Writers Association
and a spot on the all-tournament team at Williams College's Purple and Gold
Tournament in January.
Southern Maine finished the season 4-21 overall and 3-11 in the Little East.
Little East Conference - 2002-03 Men's Basketball Awards
Co-Players of the Year
Jason Levecque So. G University of Southern Maine
Nick Pelotte So. G Plymouth State College
Rookie of the Year
Devon Maiorano Fr. G University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Coach of the Year
Bob Campbell, Western Connecticut State University
First Team All-Conference
Player Class Pos. Institution
Billy Allen So. F/C University of Massachusetts Boston
Brian Cagle Sr. F University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Marvin Evans Jr. F Western Connecticut State University
Jason Levecque So. F University of Southern Maine
Anthony Oglesby So. F Plymouth State College
Nick Pelotte So. G Plymouth State College
Second Team All-Conference
Player Class Pos. Institution
Casey Bock Sr. G Western Connecticut State University
Tim Gaspar Sr. G University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Derek Swenson Sr. G Keene State College
Chris Timson Jr. G Keene State College
Johnafer White Jr. F Rhode Island College
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Tuesday, February 25, 2003
Western Connecticut Eliminates Southern Maine, 95-81
GORHAM, Maine - Junior forward Marvin Evans (Stratford, Conn.) scored a team-
high 27 points and added 13 rebounds as the top-seeded Western Connecticut State
University Colonials jumped to an early lead and held off a late rally by the
eighth-seeded University of Southern Maine Huskies to post a 95-81 triumph in the
opening round of the Little East Conference Tournament.
Western Connecticut, which improved to 17-8, will host the semifinals and
finals this weekend. The Colonials will entertain UMass Dartmouth in Friday's
second semifinal game (8:00 p.m.). Southern Maine concludes the campaign at 4-21.
The Colonials never trailed, building a 53-36 halftime lead, and went up by
as much as 24 (75-51) on a three-pointer by Jay Reginatto (Torrington, Conn.) with
13:12 to play in the contest.
The Huskies trailed by an 82-64 margin with 8:11 to play, before they began
to launch a comeback from the outside. Consecutive three-pointers by sophomores
Mike Francoeur, (Somersworth, N.H.) and Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) highlighted a
9-0 run to pull Southern Maine within 82-73 with 5:07 remaining.
However, the Colonials scored 13 of the game's final 21 points to account for
the 95-81 final.
Western Connecticut held a decisive 36-25 advantage on the glass, and
connected on a solid 60.0% (39-65) of its field goal attempts. The Huskies shot a
respectable 50.0% (28-56) and made 15-23 (.486) three-pointers.
Reginatto finished with 18 points and sophomore forward Kimani Crawford (West
Hartford, Conn.) added 13 points for the Colonials.
The Huskies were paced by sophomore forward Jason Levecque (Westbrook,
Maine), who did not start due to injury, but came off the bench to pour in a game-
high 28 points, while Garland contributed 23 points and Francoeur added 12 points.
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Saturday, February 22, 2003
Huskies Explode in Second Half, Defeat Warriors 106-74
GORHAM, Maine -- Sophomore forward Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) scored a
career-high 29 points and dished out a career-high 10 assists as the University of
Southern Maine Huskies exploded for 70 points in the second half to pull away from
the visiting Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors in a Little East
Conference game Saturday afternoon at the Warren G. Hill Gymnasium.
The win was the second straight for the Huskies who improved to 4-20 overall
and 3-11 in the conference. Eastern Connecticut dropped to 7-18 overall and 5-9
in the Little East. The game was the final regular season contest for both teams.
The Little East Conference tournament starts Tuesday night with both Southern
Maine and Eastern Connecticut on the road.
Southern Maine shot a white-hot 72 percent (26 for 36) in the second half,
including 81 percent (13 for 16) from beyond the three-point arc. The 70 points
in the half and the 106 points for the game were a season highs.
Leading by three (36-33) at the break, the Huskies scored the first nine
points of the second half on three-point baskets by sophomores Derek Lovely
(Oxford, Maine) and Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) and a basket and free throw
by Garland to open a double digit lead (45-33).
A 10-0 run midway through the half, ignited by a Lovely three-point shot,
expanded the margin to 21 (68-47). The lead was still at 21 (95-74) with three
minutes to play before USM scored the last 11 points for the final margin.
The opening half was a stark contrast as there were three lead changes and
three ties before the Huskies inched ahead for good on the strength of a 6-0 run.
After the Warriors' sophomore Kelvin Harris (West Haven, Conn.) had tied the game
at 19-19 with a three-point shot, Lovely canned a free throw, Garland dropped in a
basket and sophomore Linc Bigelow (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) hit a three-pointer as USM
took a 25-19 lead.
Garland hit on 11-of-17 shots for the floor, including 5-of-7 three-pointers,
on the way to his game-high 29 points. He also picked up his first career double-
double by passing out 10 assists.
Francoeur finished with 24 points while Lovely converted 7-of-8 shots from
outside the three-point line on the way to a 23-point effort.
Junior Mike Kipphut (Meriden, Conn.) led three Eastern Connecticut players in
double figures with 18 points. The 6-foot-5 forward made 9-of-11 shots from the
field and also grabbed eight rebounds. Sophomore Jeroy Smith (New Haven, Conn.)
and junior Steve Bartunek (Durham, Conn.) each finished with 14 points. Smith
grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.
Southern Maine finished the contest shooting 56.5 percent (30 of 69) from the
floor, including 58.8 percent (20 for 34) from three-point territory. The Huskies
had a slim 36-35 edge on the boards and had 14 steals. Eastern Connecticut shot
43.9 percent (29 of 66) from the floor, but was hurt by 19 turnovers.
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Tuesday, February 18, 2003
Southern Maine Outlasts UMass Boston in Overtime, 80-78
GORHAM, Maine - Freshman guard Quinn Fulcher (South Royalton, Vt.) drained a
baseline three-pointer with 55 seconds remaining in overtime to give the
University of Southern Maine Huskies the lead for good en route to an 80-78
triumph over the University of Massachusetts Boston Beacons in Little East
Conference action on Tuesday night at the Hill Gym.
The Huskies snapped a six-game losing streak and improved to 3-20 overall and
2-11 in the league. The Beacons fell to 11-13 and 5-8. The teams conclude the
regular season on Saturday when Southern Maine plays host to Eastern Connecticut,
while UMass Boston travels to Western Connecticut.
Fulcher's three-pointer gave the Huskies a 78-75 lead. Sophomore guard Billy
Gomes (Brockton, Mass.) attempted a game-tying three-pointer with 17 seconds left,
but the shot hit the rim and Southern Maine sophomore Mike Francoeur (Somersworth,
Maine) collected the rebound and was immediately fouled. Francoeur made one free
throw to put the Huskies up 79-75.
Sophomore guard Roger Perry (Roxbury, Mass.) launched an errant three-pointer
for UMass Boston and Francoeur again collected the rebound with five seconds left.
Francoeur made a single free throw to put the Huskies up 80-75, before
sophomore guard Eric Summerville (Little Rock, Ark.) connected on a three-pointer
at the buzzer to account for the 80-78 final score.
The contest witnessed a stellar head-to-head battle between UMass Boston
sophomore center Billy Allen (South Boston, Mass.) and Southern Maine sophomore
forward Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine). Allen recorded game-highs of 35 points
and 16 rebounds, and drained an off-balance three-pointer to tie the contest at
71-71 at the end of regulation. Levecque, who countered with 34 points, scored the
Huskies' first four points in overtime.
Perry contributed 16 points and Summerville added 13 points for the Beacons.
Senior guard Ryan Soucie (Caribou, Maine) registered 14 points for the Huskies.
UMass Boston held a decided (39-32) edge on the boards, but the Huskies
connected on 28 of 57 (.491) field goals, including 13 of 28 (.464) three-
pointers, while holding the Beacons to 29 field goals on 69 attempts (.420).
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Saturday, February 15, 2003
Rhode Island College Holds Off Southern Maine, 92-85
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Junior forward Johnafer White (Boston, Mass.) scored a
team-high 21 points to lead five players in double figures and Rhode Island
College Anchormen withstood a furious second-half rally by the University of
Southern Maine Huskies to scrape out a 92-85 triumph in Little East Conference
action on Saturday afternoon in Providence.
Rhode Island College snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 13-10
overall and 5-7 in the conference. Southern Maine fell to 2-20 and 1-11. Each
team returns to action on Tuesday, when the Huskies entertain UMass Boston, while
the Anchormen travel to UMass Dartmouth.
Trailing by as many as 18 points in the second half, Southern Maine whittled
the deficit to two points (84-82) with 38.4 seconds remaining. Rhode Island iced
the game at the foul line, where they made eight-of-eight foul shots the rest of
the way, and built a 92-82 lead with 3.4 seconds remaining. University of Southern
Maine sophomore guard Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) nailed a three-pointer at
the buzzer to account for the 92-85 final.
Levecque fueled the Huskies' comeback by scoring 31 of his game-high 37
points, including all four three-pointers, in the second half. It was his three-
pointer that pulled the Huskies to within 84-82 in the final minute of play.
The Anchormen took the lead for good early in the first half and withstood a
minor run by the Huskies, before taking a 15-point lead into the halftime break. A
15-foot jumper from the left elbow by Levecque pulled Southern Maine within 18-16
with 9:01 remaining in the half.
However, Rhode Island College responded with a 19-2 run, culminating with a pair
of free throws from freshman guard K.C. Grandfield (Dartmouth, Mass.) to grab a
commanding 37-18 advantage with 46.9 seconds remaining in the half. The Huskies
scored the final four points of the stanza to cut the deficit to 37-22 at the
break.
Southern Maine outscored Rhode Island College by a 67-55 margin from the
floor, but the Anchormen attempted 54 free throws and made 37, while Southern
Maine connected on 18-24. Rhode Island College held a decided 53-25 advantage on
the boards.
Junior Guard Lester Carter (Boston, Mass.) added 19 points for the Anchormen,
while sophomore forward Jason Harris (Bedford, Mass.) contributed 12 points and
junior Kamran Alemdar (Stockholm, Sweden) and freshman forward Brian Stanko
(Swansea, Mass.) added 11 apiece.
For Southern Maine, senior Ryan Soucie (Caribou, Maine) contributed 15
points, sophomore Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) added 12 points, and
sophomore Derek Lovely (Oxford, Maine) scored 10 points.
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Thursday, February 13, 2003
Balanced Vikings Attack Downs Huskies 94-76
GORHAM, Maine -- Junior forward Bobby Michalczyk (Lowell, Mass.) and freshman
guard Matt Karakoudas (Peabody, Mass.) each scored 18 points to pace six players
in double figures as the Salem State College Vikings used a balanced attack to
defeat the University of Southern Maine Huskies 94-76 in a non-conference game
Thursday night at the Warren G. Hill Gymnasium.
The win improved the Vikings overall record to 16-5. Salem State has won six
of its last seven and 12 of the last 14. Southern Maine dropped its fifth
straight to fall to 2-19.
The Vikings jumped out to a 12-0 lead in the first four minutes, highlighted
by a pair of three-point baskets by sophomore guard Allen Reid (Southbridge,
Mass.), and never looked back. Southern Maine closed to within five (22-17) on a
three-point basket by sophomore forward Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) with 10:19 to
go in the half, but Salem State responded with a 19-5 run over the next five
minutes to push the margin to 19 (41-22).
Salem State, led by Reid's 15 points, took a 56-33 advantage into the locker
room at the break. The Vikings connected on 59.4 percent (19 of 32) of their
shots from the floor, including 10 of 17 from beyond the three-point arc.
The Vikings remained in command throughout the second half, pushing the
margin to as high as 30 (85-55). A 12-4 USM run over the final 2:35 accounted for
the final score.
Michalczyk, who had 12 points in the first half, also grabbed a game-high 14
rebounds for a "double-double." Karakoudas, who had 13 of his 18 points in the
second half, hit on 6-of-9 shots, including 4-of-6 three-point tries. Reid
finished the night with 17 points and a game-high nine assists.
Also in double figures for Salem State were freshman Willie Phillips (Boston,
Mass.) who had 15 points, junior forward John Goya (Clinton, Mass.) with 12 points
and junior Ray Williams added 10 points. The Vikings finished the game with a
45-23 edge on the boards.
Southern Maine sophomore guard Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) led all
scorers with 28 points. Freshman guard Quinn Fulcher (South Royalton, Vt.)
chipped in with 14 points.
The Huskies will make their final road trip of the regular season this
Saturday when they travel to Providence to play Rhode island College. Salem State
will host Framingham State on Saturday.
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Tuesday, February 11, 2003
Plymouth State Survives Southern Maine, 80-77
GORHAM, Maine - Sophomore forward Jason Levecque's (Westbrook, Maine) three-
point shot to tie the game hit the rim and bounced away allowing the visiting
Plymouth State College Panthers to escape with an 80-77 triumph over the upset-
minded University of Southern Maine Huskies in Little East Conference action
Tuesday night at the Hill Gym.
Plymouth State, which improved to 16-5 overall and 8-3 in the conference,
returns to action on Saturday, when it travels to UMass Boston, while Southern
Maine, which slipped to 2-18 and 1-10, will entertain Salem State College on
Thursday night.
The game witnessed four lead changes over the final 2:11. The final time
occurred with 31 seconds remaining, when senior guard Kenny Stewart (Lodonderry,
N.H.) drove the lane to put the Panthers in front for good at 78-77.
The Huskies turned the ball over with six seconds remaining on their ensuing
possession, and were forced to foul. Sophomore guard Nick Pelotte (Bingham, Maine)
drained both free throws, providing the Panthers with an 80-77 advantage and
setting the stage for Levecque's last-second three-pointer.
Trailing throughout much of the second half, the Huskies tied the game at
71-71 on a three-pointer by Levecque with 3:11 to play. Levecque later gave the
Huskies a brief lead at 75-74 when he sank another three-pointer with 2:11
remaining.
Plymouth State regained the lead at 76-75 on a driving lay up by Stewart,
before Southern Maine took its final lead of the game at 77-76, when sophomore
Derek Lovely (Oxford, Maine) made a twisting lay up with 42 seconds remaining.
The Panthers held a 39-27 advantage on the boards, but the Huskies connected
on 26-55 (.473) field goals, including 15-27 (.556) in the second half, and held
Plymouth State to 25-61 (.410) shooting from the floor.
Plymouth State was paced by Pelotte, who tallied a game-high 24 points, while
Stewart contributed 14 points and sophomore forward Anthony Oglesby (Brooklyn,
N.Y.) added 11 points.
Levecque and sophomore guard Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) tallied 18
points apiece, while Lovely added 12 and senior guard Ryan Saucier (Caribou,
Maine) scored 10 points.
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Saturday, February 8, 2003
Corsairs Hold Off Huskies 89-76
NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. -- Freshman guard Devon Maiorano (Rehobeth, Mass.)
scored a game-high 23 points to pace four players in double figures as the
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Corsairs held off the upset-minded
University of Southern Maine Huskies 89-76 Saturday afternoon in a Little East
Conference game.
The win was the fourth in the last five games for the Corsairs who improved
to 10-11 overall and 5-5 in LEC play. Southern Maine dropped its third straight
to fall to 2-17 overall and 1-9 in the conference.
UMD took command of the game in the first half as Maiorano scored eight
consecutive points to give the Corsairs a 20-6 lead 12 minutes into the game.
Southern Maine got no closer than 10 points the rest of the half and went into the
locker room down 36-21.
Maiorano and 6-foot-4 senior forward Brian Cagle (Norwich, Conn.) led an
early second half outburst to give the Corsairs a 56-30 lead with 14 minutes left
in regulation.
The Huskies chipped the margin down to 23 (70-48) with 8:50 to play, then
used a 15-4 run to closed within 12 (74-62) when sophomore guard Mike Francoeur
(Somersworth, N.H.) made a pair of free throws with 6:14 to play. Six different
USM players contributed points during the surge.
USM was still within 12 (79-67) with 3:21 to play, but Maiorano made four
straight free throws in a span of nine seconds and Cagle added a basket on the
fast break to give the Corsairs an 18-point margin with two minutes to go.
Maiorano connected on 7 of 12 shots from the field, including 5 of 6 from
beyond the arc, and four free throws for his 23 points. Cagle added 18 points and
grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for a double-double. Six-foot-9 senior Sean Walsh
(East Sandwich, Mass.) added 17 points and nine rebounds while senior guard Tim
Gaspar (Dartmouth, Mass.) chipped in 10 points and seven assists.
Sophomore guard Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) led the Huskies with 22
points. Francoeur finished the game with 17 points. Both also grabbed a team-
high nine rebounds.
UMass Dartmouth shot 46 percent (31 for 67) during the game, including a red-
hot 53 percent (16 for 30) in the second half. The taller Corsairs had a 54-41
advantage on the boards.
Some cold shooting hurt the Huskies' chances to pull off the upset. USM
connected on just 32.5 percent of its shots (25 for 77).
Southern Maine returns home to face Little East rival Plymouth State College
on Tuesday (7:30 p.m.) and non-conference foe Salem State College on Thursday
(7:00 p.m.). UMass Dartmouth will travel to Boston on Tuesday to face in-state
rival UMass Boston.
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Wednesday, February 5, 2003
St. Joe's Overcomes Southern Maine, 106-92
GORHAM, Maine - Senior forward Brandon Stewart (Silver Spring, Md.) tallied
21 points to lead seven players in double figures and the visiting St. Joseph's
College Monks overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to post a 106-92 triumph over
the University of Southern Maine Huskies on Wednesday evening at the Hill
Gymnasium.
St. Joe's improved to 17-4, and will be idle until Tuesday when it entertains
Bates College, while Southern Maine fell to 2-16, and will resume Little East
Conference action on Saturday when it travels to UMass Dartmouth.
St. Joe's led only once (27-26) in the first half, trailed by 53-43 at the
break, and after the team's traded baskets to open the second half, faced a 55-45
deficit with 19:06 remaining. However, the Monks responded with a 17-3 run,
culminating with a lay-up from Stewart to grab a 62-58 advantage with 15:42 to
play.
St. Joe's continued to pull ahead and took its largest margin at 94-78, when
senior guard Justin Underwood (Benton, Maine) drained a pair of free throws with
3:55 remaining.
A three-pointer from sophomore guard Mike Francoeur (Somerswoth, N.H.) capped
a 14-4 Southern Maine run and pulled the Huskies within 98-92 with 1:16 remaining.
However, the Huskies would not score again, while the Monks went a perfect 8-8
from the line to account for the 106-92 final.
Each team enjoyed strong shooting performances, with the Huskies connecting
on 35-68 (.515) and the Monks making 35-69 (.507). Southern Maine outscored St.
Joe's from the floor by an 81-74 margin, but the Monks connected on 32-37 (.865)
free throws, while the Huskies were awarded but 14 free throws and made 11 (.786).
St. Joe's outrebounded Southern Maine by a decided, 47-24 margin.
The Huskies were led by sophomore guard Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine),
who scored a game-high 30 points, while Francoeur contributed 20 points, and
freshman guard Quinn Fulcher (South Royalton, Vt.) finished with 11 points.
Also recording double figures for the Monks were senior forward C.J. Vose
(Yarmouth, Maine) and Bilal Dawan-Abdullah (Dorchester, Mass.), who tallied 21
points apiece, while sophomore guard Jon Pratt (Gloucester, Mass.), senior guard
Travis Seaver (North Yarmouth, Maine) and freshman forward Steve Monterio
(Ipswich, Mass.) each scored 11 points, and Underwood added 10 points.
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Tuesday, February 4, 2003
USM's Mike Francoeur Named MMBCA Co-Player of the Week
GORHAM, Maine -- Sophomore guard Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) of the
University of Southern Maine Huskies men's basketball team has been named Co-
Player of the Week by the Maine Men's Basketball Coaches Association for the
period of January 27 through February 2. The announcement of the weekly award
winners was made Tuesday afternoon.
Francoeur, who shared the award with Bilal Dawan-Abdul of St. Joseph's
College, is the second USM player to be selected for the Player of the Week Award.
Sophomore guard Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) won Player of the Week honors in
early January.
The 5-foot-11 Francoeur averaged 20.0 points, 4.0 assists and 2.5 steals in a
1-1 week for the Huskies. He also connected on 68.2 percent (15 for 22) of his
shots from the field.
In USM's two-point win at UMass Boston, Francoeur had 25 points to share
team-high scoring honors with Levecque, three assists and two steals. He made
9-of-13 shots from the floor and 6-of-9 free throws. He had 15 points (6-for-9
from the floor), five assists and three steals in the Huskies' loss at Keene State
College on Saturday.
For the season, Francoeur is averaging 16.2 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.7
assists per game. He leads the Huskies in field goal percentage (55.7 percent on
102-of-183 shooting) and steals (31).
Southern Maine returns to action Wednesday night when it hosts in-state rival
St. Joseph's College in its final non-conference game of the season. Game time is
scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The Huskies are 2-15 overall.
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Saturday, February 1, 2003
Keene State Rolls Over Southern Maine, 95-76
KEENE, N.H. - Junior forward Chris Timson (Beverly, Mass.) scored a game-high
23 points to pace four Owls in double figures and lead Keene State College to a
95-76 Little East Conference triumph over the visiting University of Southern
Maine Huskies on Saturday afternoon.
Keene State improved to 13-5 overall and 6-3 in the league and will host
Tufts on Tuesday night. Southern Maine, which dropped to 2-15 and 1-8, will play
host to St. Joseph's College on Wednesday.
Trailing 55-36 early in the second half, Southern Maine slowly began to
narrow the gap, and pulled to within 65-55 on a three-pointer by senior Ryan
Soucie (Caribou, Maine) with 11:31 remaining.
Southern Maine would climb no closer, as Keene State answered with a decisive
25-7 run to put the game out of reach at 90-62 with 3:11 to play. The Huskies put
together a 14-5 run to close out the contest and account for the 95-76 final.
Keene State never trailed, but was tied once, 2-2 at 19:26 of the first half.
The Owls took control of the game midway through the stanza, when they employed a
10-2 run to transform a 13-12 advantage into a 23-14 lead with 10:53 remaining. A
lay-up from junior forward Brandon Johanson (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) gave Keene
State its largest lead of the half 39-23 with 5:52 to play.
Southern Maine pulled to within 41-33 on a lengthy three-pointer by sophomore
forward Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) at 2:37, but Keene State closed out the half
with a 10-3 run, capped by a three-pointer from junior guard Alphonse Michalski
(Northampton, Mass.) at the buzzer to take a 51-36 lead into the break.
The Owls connected on 36-63 (.571) field goal attempts, including 20-32
(.625) in the first half, and enjoyed a commanding 46-20 advantage on the boards.
Michalski finished with 14 points, six assists and six rebounds, while Johanson
added 12 points and junior guard Bennett Pawlusiak (Bedford, N.H.) contributed 10
points.
For the Huskies, freshman guard Quinn Fulcher (South Royalton, Vt.) led a
trio of players in double figures with 16 points, while sophomore guard Mike
Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) added 15 points and five assists, and sophomore
forward Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) contributed 12 points.
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Tuesday, January 28, 2003
USM Huskies Get First LEC Win, Beat UMass Boston 73-71
BOSTON -- Junior forward Steve Estes (York, Maine) scored his only two
points of the game on a layup with four seconds remaining to give the visiting
University of Southern Maine Huskies a 73-71 victory over the University of
Massachusetts Boston Beacons in a Little East Conference game Tuesday night at
the Clark Athletic Center.
The win snapped the Huskies five-game losing skid, and improved their
record to 2-14 overall and 1-7 in the Little East. With the loss, UMass Boston
dropped to 9-9 overall and 3-5 in the conference.
Estes layup capped a string of five straight USM points in the final
minute that erased a three-point deficit and gave the Huskies their first win in
conference play. Sophomore guard Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) converted a
three-point play, making a layup and free throw with 56 seconds to play, to tie
the game at 71-71, setting the stage for Estes’ dramatic ending.
In the opening half, UMass Boston appeared headed for a victory, building
a 16-point lead (27-11) over the first 10 minutes of the play. USM responded
with a 10-0 run, highlighted by eight points from sophomore guard Jason Levecque
(Westbrook, Maine), to pull back within six (27-21). USM was able to trim the
lead to one (34-33) with 2:42 to go in the half before heading to the locker
room down 39-35 at the break.
The Beacons used a 19-9 run early in the second half to build a 12-point
lead (60-48) with nine minutes to play.
Levecque ignited an 11-1 run with a three-point shot that pulled the
Huskies back within one (65-64) with 3:14 to go. Senior tri-captain Ryan Soucie
(Caribou, Maine), who came off the bench to score 17 points, gave the Huskies
their first lead when he put back a missed shot for a 68-67 advantage.
Two free throws by UMB sophomore Billy Allen (South Boston, Mass.) and a
layup by senior Paul Kemp (Cambridge, Mass.) restored the Beacons’ three-point
(71-68) lead with 1:10 to play, but those would be the final points for the host
team.
Levecque and Francoeur led the Huskies with 25 points each. Levecque was
10-of-18 from the floor, including 5-of-9 from three-point territory, while
Francoeur was 9-of-13 from the floor and 6-of-9 from the line. USM shot a
season-high 54 percent (27 for 50) from the floor during the game.
Allen led all scorers with 26 points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.
Junior guard Lester Robinson (Roxbury, Mass.) chipped in 12 points, all in the
first half. UMass Boston hit 50 percent of its shots (28 of 56), but hurt
itself by making just 10 of 23 free throws.
Southern Maine returns to action on Saturday when it travels to Keene
(N.H.) State College for a Little East Conference game. UMass Boston hosts
Rhode Island College, also on Saturday, in its next game.
##################################################################################
Saturday, January 25, 2003
Western Connecticut Sails Past Southern Maine, 95-73
GORHAM, Maine - Junior forward Marvin Evans (Stratford, Conn.) scored 26
points and collected a game-high 10 rebounds to lead the visiting Western
Connecticut State University Colonials to a 95-73 Little East Conference triumph
over the University of Southern Maine Huskies Saturday afternoon at the Hill Gym.
Western Connecticut, which entertains Eastern Connecticut on Tuesday, now
stands at 10-5 overall and 6-1 in the league, while Southern Maine, which travels
to UMass Boston on Tuesday, stumbles to 1-14 and 0-7.
Trailing 48-27 at the break, the Huskies opened the second half with a 10-13
run, highlighted by a pair of three-point baskets from sophomore guard Jason
Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) to pull within 51-37 with 17:37 remaining.
However, the Huskies would trim the deficit no further the remainder of the
game. Western Connecticut answered with an 11-2 run, featuring a trio of three-
pointer from sophomore guard Jay Reginatto (Torrington, Conn.) to forge a 62-39
advantage with 16:03 to play.
Southern Maine pulled to within 15 points on two occasions, with the final
time coming at 72-55 with 10:10 to play. Western Connecticut responded with a 12-0
run to grab its largest advantage of the afternoon at 84-55 with 6:41 remaining to
play.
The Colonials out-rebounded the Huskies by a 41-31 margin, and connected on
34-64 (.531) field goal attempts, while holding the Huskies to 27-62 (.435).
In addition to Evans, the Colonials received 17 points from Reginatto, 14
points from junior forward Andoni Alberdi (Windsor, Conn.) and 10 points form
freshman forward Jason Barnett (Windsor, Conn.).
For Southern Maine, Levecque scored a game-high 30 points, while sophomore
guard Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) added 17 points and five assists.
##################################################################################
Tuesday, January 21, 2003
Pelotte Scores 30 to Lead Plymouth State Past Southern Maine
PLYMOUTH, N.H. -- Sophomore guard Nick Pelotte (Bingham, Maine) scored a
game-high 30 points to lead the Plymouth State College Panthers to an 83-71 win
over the visiting University of Southern Maine Huskies in a Little East Conference
game at Foley Gymnasium Tuesday night.
The win upped the Panthers overall record to 11-4 and 4-2 in the conference.
Southern Maine dipped to 1-13 overall with its fourth straight loss. The Huskies
are winless in the Little East.
Pelotte connected on 6 of 13 shots from the field, including 3 of 6 from
three-point territory, and 15 of 19 free throw attempts for his 30 points. It was
the fifth time this season that the 5-foot-11 guard has scored 30-or-more points.
Southern Maine was within four (15-11) with eight minutes to go in the
opening half before Pelotte led a 24-16 charge with 13 points to give Plymouth
State a 39-27 advantage at the intermission.
The Huskies stayed within striking distance throughout the second half and
trailed 62-53 when Panther freshman Kevin Boutilier (North Andover, Mass.) scored
what proved to be the final PSC basket of the night. Plymouth State would make 21
of 26 free throws over the final seven minutes to keep the Huskies at bay.
A three-point basket by sophomore Derek Lovely (Oxford, Maine) with 1:20 to
play pulled the Huskies back within five (76-71), but the Panthers made 7 of 8
charity tosses in the final 31 seconds to preserve the win.
Sophomore forward Anthony Oglesby (Brooklyn, N.Y.) complemented Pelotte with
18 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Junior guard Mike Loughlin (Manchester,
N.H.) came off the bench to toss in 10 for the Panthers.
Sophomore guard Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) led the Huskies offense
with 20 points, 18 coming in the second half. Sophomore Ryan Garland (Hermon,
Maine) came off the bench to chip in 12 points before fouling out.
Plymouth State had a big 45-28 advantage on the boards, including 17
offensive rebounds, and made 31 of 39 free throw attempts during the game.
Southern Maine had more field goals
(25-23), but went to the line only 18 times.
Southern Maine will seek its first Little East win of the season this
Saturday afternoon when it hosts Western Connecticut State University. Plymouth
State will entertain UMass Dartmouth, also on Saturday.
##################################################################################
Saturday, January 18, 2003
Second Half Spurt Carries Eastern Connecticut Past Southern Maine 72-65
WILLIMANTIC, Conn. -- A 14-2 run in the second half erased a two-point
deficit and help lift the Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors to a 72-65
victory over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a Little East Conference
game Saturday afternoon at Geissler Gymnasium.
The win improved the Warriors overall record to 5-9, and 3-2 in the Little
East Conference. Southern Maine dropped to 1-12 overall and is winless in five
conference games.
Trailing 42-40 after USM sophomore guard Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine)
capped off a 6-0 run with his second straight basket to give the Huskies their
only lead of the second half, Eastern Connecticut responded with the next 14
points to take a 54-42 advantage with 4:48 to play. Junior guard Gordon Shepard
(Waterbury, Conn.) ignited the run with a three-point shot, and freshman guard
Martin Kokoszka (Meriden, Conn.) knocked down a trio of three-pointers for the
Warriors during the decisive two-and-a-half minute span.
Eastern Connecticut nursed the lead between 11-15 points over the next four
minutes before USM scored seven of the game's last eight points in the final 32
seconds to account for the final margin.
The Warriors took control a tightly-battled first half with an 10-2 run
midway through the half to take a 19-13 lead on sophomore Jeroy Smith's (New
Haven, Conn.) fast break layup.
A pair of free throws by sophomore Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) and a three-
point shot by classmate Linc Bigelow (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) brought the Huskies back
within one at 19-18 with 7:01 to go.
Both teams had short runs that pushed the EC lead up to seven (27-20) before
USM cut the deficit to two (27-25). The Warriors finally took a 30-26 lead to the
locker room at the break.
Levecque led all scores with 22 points. Sophomore guard Mike Francoeur
(Somersworth, N.H.) was the only other USM player in double figures with 14
points. Senior Matt Tarbox (Standish, Maine) grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds for
the Huskies.
Shepard led three Warriors in double figures with 16 points. Kokoszka added
13 and junior forward Michael Kipphut (Meriden, Conn.) contributed 12.
Southern Maine travels to Plymouth State College on Tuesday (January 21) for
its next game. Eastern Connecticut will host Keene State College, also on
Tuesday, in its next game.
##################################################################################
Tuesday, January 14, 2003
Anchormen Pull Away From Huskies 80-68
GORHAM, Maine -- Junior guard Kamran Almedar (Stockholm, Sweden) scored a
game-high 27 points to lead the Rhode Island College Anchormen to an 80-68 victory
over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a Little East Conference game
Tuesday night at the Warren G. Hill Gymnasium.
The victory improved the Anchormen's record to 9-4 overall and 2-2 in the
conference. They have won seven of their last eight contests. Southern Maine
dipped to 1-11 overall and is winless in four conference games.
Southern Maine trailed by four at the break (32-28), but opened the second
half with a 20-10 run to take a 48-42 lead when sophomore Derek Lovely (Oxford,
Maine) made one of two free throws at the 13:59 mark.
Almedar responded with a three-point basket that ignited a 17-2 run for the
Anchormen and turned a six-point deficit into a nine-point lead (59-50) midway
through the half.
Sophomore Mike Francoeur's (Somersworth, N.H.) basket with a minute to play
got the Huskies within five (73-68), but it would be the final points for the
Huskies. Rhode Island College converted seven of eight free throws in the final
52 seconds to account for the final margin.
Alemdar connected on 8 of 11 shots from the floor, including 5 of 7 tries
from beyond the three-point arc, and 6 of 7 free throws to take game-high scoring
honors.
Six-foot-seven junior Jonafer White (Boston, Mass.) gave the Anchormen a big
lift off the bench scoring 15 points and grabbing a game-high 18 rebounds.
Sophomore Jason Harris (Bedford, Mass.) added 12 points and had 10 rebounds, and
junior Lester Carter (Boston, Mass.) chipped in 11 points for the Anchormen.
Sophomore Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) led Southern Maine with 26 points
while Francoeur finished with 17 for the Huskies.
Rhode Island College, led by white and Harris, had a huge 51-26 edge on the
boards. The Anchormen finished the game shooting 45 percent (27 for 60) from the
floor. RIC also converted 20 of 30 free throws while Southern Maine made just 3
of 5 charity tosses. The Huskies shot 42 percent (29 for 69) from the field, but
just 22 percent (7 for 32) from beyond the arc.
Southern Maine travels to Eastern Connecticut State University on Saturday
for its next game. The Anchormen will host Plymouth State College in their next
game on Saturday.
##################################################################################
Saturday, January 11, 2003
UMass Dartmouth Pulls Away From Southern Maine, 75-63
GORHAM, Maine - Senior center Sean Walsh (East Sandwich, Mass.) registered
game highs of 22 points and 15 rebounds to lead a trio of Corsairs in double
figures, and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth registered its first Little
East Conference triumph of the year with a 75-63 win over the host University of
Southern Maine Huskies Saturday afternoon at the Hill Gym.
UMass Dartmouth, which halted a four-game losing streak, improved to 5-6
overall and 1-2 in the LEC, while Southern Maine slipped to 1-10 and 0-3. Each
team returns to action on Tuesday when the Huskies host Rhode Island College and
the Corsairs travel to Eastern Connecticut State University.
After taking a 31-26 advantage into the break, UMass Dartmouth opened the
second half with a
9-2 run to grab a 40-28 advantage with 16:21 to play. Southern Maine responded
with a three-pointer from sophomore guard Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) to
pull within 40-31 at 16:01.
The Corsairs answered with an 11-2 run, culminating with a three-pointer from
freshman guard Devon Marianno (Rehoboth, Mass.) to take their largest lead of the
game at 51-33 with 12:02 remaining.
The Huskies trimmed the deficit to nine on two occasions, with the final time
coming at 61-52 with 4:11 to play, but could pull no closer. UMass Dartmouth
scored its final seven points from the line to ice the game.
The Corsairs never trailed in the contest, but the Huskies rallied to tie the
affair on three occasions in the first half. The final tie came at 13-13 on a
short jumper from Francoeur with 11:33 remaining.
UMass Dartmouth answered with 13-5 run to take its largest advantage of the
first half at 26-18 with 4:56 remaining in the half.
Southern Maine trimmed the deficit to 27-24 with 2:29 to play, before the
Corsairs rallied to take a 31-26 edge into the halftime break.
The Corsairs enjoyed a decided 50-31 advantage on the boards, and made 26-53
(.491) of their field goal attempts, while limiting the Huskies to just 20-55
(.364) from the floor. UMass Dartmouth attempted 42 shots from the foul line, but
made just 19 (.452), while the Huskies connected on 17-23 (.739).
Joining Walsh with double figures in points for the Corsairs were senior
forward Brian Cagle (Norwich, Conn.), who tallied 15 points and collected nine
rebounds, and senior guard Tim Gaspar (Dartmouth, Mass.) who added 11 points, six
rebounds, and five assists.
The Huskies were led by sophomore guard Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine),
who struck for 21 points, and Francoeur, who added 18 points.
##################################################################################
Tuesday, January 7, 2003
Levecque Scores 29 as Huskies Get First Win
More to follow
##################################################################################
Monday, January 6, 2003
USM's Jason Levecque Earns Two Awards
GORHAM, Maine - University of Southern Maine sophomore guard Jason Levecque
(Westbrook, Maine) earned a pair of honors in recognition of his stellar play in
the Huskies' two games at the Purple and Gold Tournament hosted by Williams
College in Williamstown, Mass.
Levecque, who averaged 22.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists, earned a
spot on the All-Tournament Team and was cited as the Little East Conference Player
of the Week. His finest outing came in the 101-88, consolation-round loss to
Clark University, in which he erupted for 30 points, seven rebounds, seven assists
and four steals. In the 82-62 opening-round loss to Williams College he added 14
points, two rebounds, four assists, and a single blocked shot .
Williams, which entered the tournament ranked eighth in the nation, downed
Southern Vermont 84-55 to capture the tournament title.
Through the first nine games, Levecque leads the team in a number of
statistical categories, including points (20.3 pg), rebounds (5.2) and free throw
percentage (.848), while he is second in total assists (19) and steals (15). Among
the conference leaders, he is first in free throw shooting and second in scoring.
Despite his efforts, the Huskies have struggled to a 0-9 start, which
includes a 0-2 mark in Little East Conference play. Southern Maine will seek its
first win when it travels to Colby College on Tuesday night.
##################################################################################
Saturday, January 4, 2003
Clark University Overcomes University of Southern Maine
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass - Junior guard Dave McNamara (Worcester, Mass.) scored a
game-high 34 points to lead the Clark University Cougars to a 101-88, come-from-
behind triumph Saturday afternoon in the consolation round of the Purple and Gold
Tournament hosted by Williams College.
Clark, which improved to 5-3, returns to action on Thursday when it travels
to the City College of New York, while Southern Maine will seek to end its season-
opening nine-game losing streak when it travels to Colby College on Tuesday.
McNamara connected on 8-of-13 field goal attempts, including a stunning
7-of-12 three-pointers, while draining 11-12 free throws. He led a trio of
Cougars who registered double figures in points, as senior guard Sean Fleming
(Smithfield, R.I.) added 11 points, and senior forward Trevor Walker (Milford,
Mass.) contributed 10 points.
McNamara's performance overshadowed the efforts of Southern Maine sophomores
Jason Levecque (Westbrook) and Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, Maine). Levecque was
a perfect 13 for 13 from the foul line en route to a team-high 30 points, while he
added game-highs of seven rebounds and seven assists. Francoeur, who connected on
10-of-11 field goals, including 5-of-6 three pointers, finished with a career-high
27 points.
Each team enjoyed impressive shooting performances, with Clark connecting on
30-53 (.566) field goals, including 17-31 (.548) three-pointers while Southern
Maine made 30-57 (.526) field goals, including 12-28 (.429) three pointers.
Clark, which held a slight 25-21 edge on the boards, made 24-30 (.800) free
throws, including 17 of 17 in the second half, while Southern Maine connected on
16 of 17 (.941).
The Huskies held a 51-45 edge at the break, but the Cougars outscored them by
a 56-37 margin in the second half.
##################################################################################
Friday, January 3, 2003
Williams Knocks Off Southern Maine 82-62
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- Senior forward Drew DeMuth (Carlisle, Penn.)
scored a game-high 20 points and pulled down 12 rebounds to lead the unbeaten
and seventh-ranked Williams College Ephmen to an 82-62 victory over the
University of Southern Maine Huskies Friday night in a first round game at the
Purple and Gold Tournament being hosted by Williams.
The win was the eighth straight for the Ephmen who will take on Southern
Vermont College in the championship game Saturday afternoon. Southern Maine,
which remained winless in eight starts this season, will look to break into the
win column against Clark University. Southern Vermont edged Clark, 112-109, in
triple overtime.
The Huskies had no answer inside for the 6-foot-5 DeMuth and 6-foot-7
junior forward Ben Coffin (Westford, Mass.) who added 17 points and 11 rebounds
for the Ephmen. DeMuth accounted for half of his points by converting 10-of-14
free throws while Coffin was connecting on 7 of 9 shots from the floor.
Sophomore guard Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) led the Southern Maine
offense with 14 points while classmate Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) added
13 points.
Sophomore Jaris Cole (San Diego, Calif.) dropped in 17 points and dished
off five assists for Williams. Junior point guard Michael Crotty (Belmont,
Mass.) added 11 points and a game-high seven assists. The two combined to make
7 of 15 tries from three-point territory.
The Ephmen shot just 40 percent (27 for 68) from the floor for the game,
but had a huge 44-21 edge in rebounding, including 19 offensive boards.
Southern Maine shot 42 percent (22 for 52) from the floor, including 40 percent
(10 for 25) from beyond the three-point stripe.
##################################################################################
Saturday, December 14, 2002
Keene State Pulls Away From Southern Maine 90-67
GORHAM, Maine -- Junior Chris Timson (Beverly, Mass.) scored 14 of his
team-high 18 points in the second half as the unbeaten Keene State College Owls
pulled away from the University of Southern Maine Huskies to post a 90-67 victory
in Little East Conference action Saturday afternoon at the Warren G. Hill
Gymnasium.
The win was the seventh straight for the unbeaten Owls who Improved 2-0 in
the Little East. Southern Maine remained winless through seven games and is 0-2
in the LEC.
Timson tossed in seven points during the Owls' 19-7 run during the first five
minutes of the second half as the visitors' seven-point halftime lead (40-33)
quickly grew to 19 (59-40). The 6-foot-3 Timson hit on 6 of 8 shots after the
intermission, including two three-point baskets.
Keene State continued building the lead to 24 (74-50) before the Huskies'
sophomore guard Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) scored four straight points on
one-of-two free throws and a three-pointer. After a timeout, Timson scored for
Keene State and the momentum swung back to the Owls. Keene State's biggest lead
was 27 points (87-60) with four minutes to play.
The teams battled through an even first half a USM sophomore guard Jason
Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) kept the Huskies within striking distance. Levecque's
three-point shot with 1:37 left in the half pulled USM within one (34-33), but the
Owls responded by scoring the final six points of the half.
Senior Derek Swenson (Attleboro, Mass.), with 14 points, and junior Bennett
Pawlusiak (Bedford, N.H.), with 11 points, were the only other Owls to reach
double figures. Thirteen of Keene State's 15 players who saw action scored.
Levecque led all scorers with 22 points for the Huskies. Francoeur added 14
points for the Huskies.
Keene State finished the game shooting 47 percent (34 for 73) from the floor,
including 44 percent (11 for 25) from beyond the arc. The Owls swarming defense
forced 26 turnovers in the game.
Southern Maine will look to break into the win column when it returns to
action January 3-4 at the Williams College Tournament. Keene State returns to
action December 29-30 when it plays in the Grand Canyon Classic in Phoenix,
Arizona.
##################################################################################
Monday, December 9, 2002
USM's Jason Levecque Named LEC Player of the Week
GORHAM, Maine -- Sophomore guard Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) of the
University of Southern Maine Huskies men's basketball team has been chosen as the
Little East Conference Player of the Week for the week ending December 8. The
announcement was made by the conference office Monday afternoon.
In three games last week, the 6-foot-2 Levecque averaged 27.0 points and 6.3
rebounds while shooting 49 percent (29 of 59) from the floor, including 46 percent
(6 of 13) from three-point territory, and 81 percent (17 of 21) at the foul line.
Against Bowdoin, Levecque knocked down 21 points, grabbed four rebounds and
dished off two assists. In the Huskies' home opener against the University of New
England, he had 29 points and five rebounds. He closed out the week with a 31-
point, 10-rebound performance in the Huskies' conference opener at Western
Connecticut.
"(Jason) had a great week under some adverse conditions," commented seventh-
year head coach Dan Costigan. "He played well and is starting to feel comfortable
with what we're trying to do. It was fun to watch him play."
Through six games, Levecque, who transfer to USM fro Keene State College, is
leading the team in scoring averaging 19.5 points. He is second in rebounding
(4.7 rpg) and leads in three-point field goals (12).
In the latest Little East statistics, he is among the conference leaders in
scoring (2nd) and free throw percentage (9th/.778).
The Huskies (0-6) return to action Saturday when they will host Levecque's
former team, the unbeaten Keene State College Owls, at the Warren G. Hill
Gymnasium. Game time is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
##################################################################################
Saturday, December 7, 2002
Western Connecticut Defeats Southern Maine 90-80
DANBURY, Conn. -- Senior guard Casey Bock (Danbury, Conn.) poured in 25
points, including seven three-point field goals, to lead the Western Connecticut
State University Colonials to a 90-80 victory over the visiting University of
Southern Maine Huskies Saturday afternoon at the O'Neill Center. The game was the
Little East Conference opener for both teams.
The win improved the Colonials overall record to 3-2. Southern Maine remains
winless on the season at 0-6.
Western Connecticut used a 12-1 run midway through the second half to take
command of the contest. Leading by one (59-58) after USM's Jeff White (Etna,
Maine) scored on a layup, sophomore Brice Assie (Bridgeport, Conn.) and junior
Marvin Evans (Stratford, Conn.) combined for the next eight points to give the
Colonials a 67-58 edge.
After sophomore Justin Almy (New Sharon, Maine) converted a free throw for
the Huskies, Evans and sophomore Kimani Crawford (West Hartford, Conn.) scored to
give the Colonials a 12-point (71-59) advantage with 7:51 to play.
The Colonials' lead ranged between 10-14 points over the next five minutes
until the Huskies scored six straight to close within eight (83-75) with 56
seconds to play. USM got within seven (80-87) on sophomore Jason Levecque's
(Westbrook, Maine) three-pointer with 26 seconds to play, but did not score again
as Assie and sophomore Jay Reginatto (Torrington, Conn.) made three of four free
throws for the final margin.
Western led throughout the first half until the Huskies put together an 11-3
run over the final four minutes to take a 44-43 lead to locker room.
Levecque led all scorers with 31 points. The 6-foot-2 guard connected on 10
of 20 shots from the floor, including a pair of three pointers, and 9 of 12 from
the free throw line. He also grabbed 10 rebounds. Sophomore Mike Francoeur
(Somersworth, N.H.) added 15 points and sophomore Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine)
contributed 10 points.
Evans and Reginatto each finished with 15 points while Assie had 11 for the
Colonials. Evans also grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds while Reginatto dished out
nine assists.
Southern Maine returns to action next Saturday (December 14) when it hosts
Keene State College in the Huskies final game before final exams and the holiday
break. Western Connecticut travels to Westfield State College for a game on
Tuesday.
##################################################################################
Thursday, December 5, 2002
Nor'easters Overcome Huskies 90-79
GORHAM, Maine - Junior guard Nyaten Gaye (Providence, R.I.) scored a game-
high 30 points and the University of New England Nor'easters overcame a 21-point
first half deficit to post a 90-79 triumph at the University of Southern Maine
Huskies Thursday night in at the Hill Gym.
UNE, which improved to 2-2, will host Salve Regina on Saturday, while
Southern Maine, which slipped to 0-5 travels to Western Connecticut on Saturday.
Despite the final score, Southern Maine appeared to be well on its way to an
easy triumph throughout the first half. Sophomore guard Jason Levecque (Westbrook,
Maine) connected on 11-14 first half-shots and scored 27 of his team-high 29
points in the frame, as the Huskies grabbed their largest lead at 49-28 with 3:30
remaining in the half.
However, the Nor'easters went on an 11-2 run to pull within 51-39 at the
break, and scored the first 16 points of the second half to build a 54-51
advantage with 15:10 remaining. Southern Maine answered with a 7-1 run to take a
58-55 lead on a lay up by Derek Lovely (Oxford, Maine) with 12:20 remaining.
UNE scored five consecutive points to regain the lead at 60-58 with 11:45 to
play. After a short jumper from Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) drew the Huskies
level at 60-60 with 10:32 to play, UNE took the lead for good at 63-60 on a three-
pointer from freshman guard Matt McManus (Cumberland, R.I.) with 10:25 to play.
The Nor'easters went up by as many as 72-62 on an old-fashion three-point
play from junior guard Nyaten Gaye (Providence, R.I.) with 7:09 remaining.
Southern Maine trimmed the deficit to four points on three occasions - with the
final time coming at 78-74 with 2:45 to play - but could pull no closer.
Gaye also hauled in a game-high 11 rebounds, while McManus contributed 15
points, and junior forward Brandon Berthiaume (Springfield, Mass.) added 13
points.
Southern Maine received 15 points from Garland and 14 points from sophomore
guard Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.). The Huskies held a decided edge
rebounding advantage, 54-37.
The Huskies connected on 22-41 (.537) first half shots, but only 10-40 (.250)
second half shots, and finished the game shooting .395. UNE made just 13-36 (.361)
first half shots, before connecting on 20-36 (.556) in the second half, to finish
the game shooting .458.
##################################################################################
Monday, December 2, 2002
Polar Bears Ride Big First Half, Claw Past Huskies 87-59
BRUNSWICK, Maine -- The Bowdoin College Polar Bears, paced by senior guard
Bradon Clement (Skowhegan, Maine), shot 54.5 percent in the first half to build a
23-point lead and never looked back on the way to a convincing 87-59 victory over
the visiting University of Southern Maine Huskies Monday night in a non-conference
men's basketball game at the Morrell Gymnasium.
The win was the third straight for the Polar Bears since a season-opening
loss to Wheaton College. Southern Maine remains winless (0-4) heading into its
home opener Thursday night against the University of New England.
Bowdoin quickly established itself, scoring the first ten points of the game.
Southern Maine, behind sophomore guard Jason Levecque's (Westbrook, Maine) eight
points, pulled within seven (19-12) midway through the half, but the Huskies would
get no closer the rest of the night.
An 11-4 run over the final six minutes gave the Polar Bears a 45-22 cushion
at the intermission. Bowdoin connected on 18 of 33 shots from the floor,
including 9 of 19 from beyond the three-point arc, during the first 20 minutes.
Conversely, the Huskies shot a frigid 29 percent (9 for 31) from the floor,
including just 12 percent (2 of 17) from beyond the arc.
USM never got closer than 19 on two occasions in the second half as the Polar
Bears pulled away to lead by as many as 31 twice.
Clement, who made 5 of 11 shots including 4 of 8 from three-point range, led
five Bowdoin players in double figures. Freshman forward Kyle Petrie (Iowa City,
Iowa) contributed 14 points while senior Danny Ginn (Windham, Maine) and junior
T.J. McLeod (Gorham, Maine) each chipped in 13. Six-foot-seven sophomore Mark
Yakavonis (Barrington, R.I.) finished the night with 12 points and a game-high 17
rebounds.
Levecque was the lone Southern Maine player to reach double figures with a
game-high 21 points.
The Huskies shot much better the second half (12 for 23, 52.8%) to finish the
game shooting 39 percent. Bowdoin finished the game shooting 51.7 percent from
the floor, and had a huge 44-20 advantage on the boards.
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Tuesday, November 26, 2002
Bates College Routs Southern Maine, 110-77
LEWISTON, Maine -- Senior guard Angelo Salvaggio (Portland, Maine)
registered game highs of 36 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists, to lead the host
Bates College Bobcats to an easy 110-77 triumph over the University of Southern
Maine Huskies on Tuesday evening.
Bates, which improved to 3-0, will be idle until Thursday, December 5, when
it travels to Bowdoin College. Southern Maine, which slipped to 0-3, will also
return to action by travelling to Bowdoin, for a rare, 5:30 p.m. match-up with the
Polar Bears on Monday, December 2.
The contest was never in doubt, as Bates jumped to a 32-point (61-29)
halftime lead, and added to its advantage throughout much of the second half.
Bates connected on 54.3% (43-78) of its field goal attempts, while limiting
Southern Maine to 37.2% (29-78). In addition, the Bobcats held a decided edge on
the boards, where they outrebounded Southern Maine by a 50-33 margin.
Senior forward C.J. Neely (North Easton, Mass.) added 29 points, while
sophomore guard Brian Gerrity (Manchester, Maine) contributed 21 points for the
Bobcats.
The Huskies were paced by sophomore guard Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.),
who netted 18 points, while sophomore guard Derek Lovely (Oxford, Maine) added 16
points, and sophomores Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) and Jason Levecque (Westbrook,
Maine) added 10 points apiece.
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Saturday, November 23, 2002
Colby Outlasts Southern Maine 103-90
Game Stopped with 1:43 Left Due to Leaky Roof
STANDISH, Maine -- Sophomore Patrick McGowan (North Attleboro, Mass.)
poured in a game-high 33 points to lead five players in double figures as the
Colby College White Mules defeated the University of Southern Maine Huskies 103-90
in the third place game of The MAINE Event tournament being play at St. Joseph's
College. The game was called with 1:43 left to play after leaks developed in the
roof of the Alfond Recreation Center.
Colby evened its record at 1-1 while Southern Maine dipped to 0-2. the two
teams will meet again at Colby on January 7.
McGowan converted 12 of 17 shots from the floor, including six of nine tries
from beyond the three-point arc, and all three of his free throws for his 33
points. He also pulled down 10 rebounds.
The White Mules used a 16-1 run early in the second half to expand a five-
point advantage (55-50) into a 20-point lead. Senior Kevin Crosman (Bath, Maine),
who was held scoreless in the first half, ignited the run with a three-point
basket and had seven points during the decisive four-and-a-half minute stretch.
A basket by sophomore Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) started a 20-11 run
for the Huskies that included six three-point baskets to close the gap to 11 (82-
71) with 8:33 to go. USM would get as close as eight (90-82) after a pair of free
throws by sophomore Justin Almy (New Sharon, Maine) with 5:46 remaining.
Crosman accounted for the next four points to push the lead back to 12 (94-
82) before the teams traded baskets until the officials stopped the game because
the water leaking through the roof made the court unsafe to continue.
Francoeur finished the game with 16 points to lead five Huskies in double
figures. Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) had 13, Jeff Levecque (Westbrook, Maine)
chipped in 12, Quinn Fulcher (South Royalton, Vt.) contributed 11 and Nick
Casavant (Presque Isle, Maine) ended up with 10.
Jared Cushman (Augusta, Maine) aided McGowan with 18 points. Crosman
finished with 13 while Nick Loukes (Bangor, Maine) and Michael Westbrooks (Dublin,
Ireland) each had 12. Colby shot 60 percent (40 for 67) from the floor and had a
51-24 edge on the boards.
Southern Maine will seek to break into the win column at Bates College on
Tuesday (November 26). Colby will play its home opener on Tuesday against Babson
College.
In the championship game, host St. Joseph's College edged Husson College,
72-70.
Named to the all-tournament team from Southern Maine was Francoeur. McGowan
was Colby's representative on the all-tournament team. Randy Fletcher and Robert
Pillsbury of Husson and Justin Underwood of St. Joseph's round out the five-man
all-tourney squad. St. Joseph's senior C.J. Vose was named the Most Valuable
Player.
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Friday, November 22, 2002
St. Joseph's College Outlasts Southern Maine, 88-86
GORHAM, Maine - Senior forward C.J. Vose (Yarmouth, Maine) scored a game co-
high 23 points and added eight rebounds to help the host St. Joseph's College
Monks overcome the perimeter shooting of the University of Southern Maine Huskies
en route to an 88-86 triumph in the opening round of the Maine Event Tournament
Friday night in Standish, Maine.
Southern Maine, which held a narrow 50-48 advantage at the break, was able to
maintain its edge throughout much of the second half on the basis of its deadly
outside shooting. The Huskies connected on 20-35 (.571) three point attempts,
including a staggering 13-17 (.765) in the first half alone.
St. Joe's overcame Southern Maine's perimeter game, by owning a commanding,
52-24 rebounding advantage. In addition, the Monks connected on 22-40 free throw
attempts, while the Huskies attempted but 16 foul shots and made 10.
Sophomore guard Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) scored a game-co-high 23
points, to lead five Huskies in double figures in scoring. Sophomore Ryan Levecque
(Westbrook, Maine) added 14 points, while freshman Nick Casavant (Presque Isle,
Maine) and sophomore Linc Bigelow (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) added 11 points apiece, and
sophomore Derek Lovely (Oxford, Maine) contributed 10 points.
The Monks received 18 points apiece from senior forward Brandon Stewart
(Silver Spring, Md.) and freshman center Samuele Olivero (Cervasca, Italy), while
senior guard Bilal Dawan-Abdullah (Dorchester, Mass.) contributed nine points and
10 rebounds.
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Thursday, November 14, 2002
Soucie, Tarbox & White Named Men's Basketball Captains at USM
Huskies Open 2002-03 Season November 22 in The Maine Event
GORHAM, Maine -- Seniors Ryan Soucie (Caribou, Maine) and Matt Tarbox
(Standish, Maine), along with junior Jeff White (Etna, Maine), have been named
captains for the 2002-2003 University of Southern Maine Huskies men's basketball
team. Head coach Dan Costigan made the announcement.
This is the first season that any of the three has served in the captain's
capacity. Tarbox is in his fourth season with the Huskies while White and Soucie
are entering their third season.
White, a 6-foot-2 forward-guard, was the team's third leading scorer last
winter, averaging 10.4 points. He was second on the team in rebounding grabbing
5.6 caroms a game, and led the Little East Conference in three-point field goal
percentage, canning 43.4 percent (49 of 113) of his long-range shots.
Tarbox, a 6-foot-2 forward noted for his workman-like effort on the floor,
averaged 3.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in 26 games last year. Soucie, a 5-foot-11
guard who transferred to USM from the University of New England after his freshman
year (1998-99), contributed 3.8 points and 1.5 rebounds a game in 12 appearances.
"Matt is the only four-year player in our program this season. He is the
quiet leader who leads by example. He is the type of player who does all the
little things that don't show up in the statistics at the end of the night, but
every coach loves to have," commented Costigan, who enters his seventh season with
a 52-98 career record.
"Ryan is the vocal leader on the team. He brings a tremendous work ethic and
work rate onto the floor. We'll be using him off the bench to provide us with a
spark this season," continued Costigan.
"Jeff is a third-year player who started as a freshman and as a sophomore.
He's a team leader in all aspects, on and off the floor. We'll count on him to
help us in scoring, rebounding and overall play," said Costigan.
The Huskies open the season November 22-23 when they play in The Maine Event
tournament hosted by St. Joseph's College. Friday's first round pairings have
Colby College playing Husson College in the opening game at 5:00 p.m., followed by
Southern Maine against St. Joseph's at 7:00 p.m.. The third place and
championship games will be played Saturday at 5:00 and 7:00 p.m., respectively.
The remainder of the 2002-03 schedule is as follows: November 26, at Bates
(7:30); December 2, at Bowdoin (5:30); December 5, University of New England
(7:30); December 7, at Western Connecticut (3:00); and December 14, Keene State
(3:00).
USM will open the New Year playing in the Williams College tournament January
4-5. The rest of the schedule includes: January 7, at Colby (7:30); January 11,
UMass Dartmouth (3:00); January 14, Rhode Island College (7:30); January 18,
Eastern Connecticut (3:00); January 21, at Plymouth State (7:30); January 25,
Western Connecticut (3:00) and January 28, at UMass Boston (7:30).
Also February 1, at Keene State (3:00); February 5, St. Joseph's (7:30);
February 8, at UMass Dartmouth (3:00); February 11, Plymouth State (7:30);
February 13, Salem State (7:00); February 15, at Rhode Island College (3:00);
February 18, UMass Boston (7:30); February 22, Eastern Connecticut (3:00).
The Little East Conference tournament begins February 25 with first round
games involving all eight teams (1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6 and 4 vs. 5). The
semifinal and championship games will be held February 28-March 1 at the on-campus
site of the highest remaining seed. The winner of the tournament receives an
automatic berth into the NCAA Division III tournament.
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