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SEASON COMPLETE
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Monday, March 1, 2004
Jason Levecque Named to All-Little East Squad
GORHAM, Maine -- Junior guard Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) of the
University of Southern Maine men's basketball team has been named to the 2003-2004
All-Little East Conference second team as selected by the conference's head
coaches. The all-conference first and second teams and individual awards were
announced by the conference office Monday.
This is the second straight year that Levecque has earned a spot on the LEC's
elite squads. He was a first team pick last season.
Joining Levecque on the All-Conference second team were seniors Alphonse
Michalski and Matt Wheeler of the champion Keene State College Owls, senior Kamran
Alemdar of Rhode Island College and junior Brice Assie of Western Connecticut
State University.
Selected by the coaches for the All-Conference first team were juniors
Anthony Oglesby and Nick Pelotte of Plymouth State University, senior Chris Timson
of Keene State, senior Michael Kipphut of Eastern Connecticut State University,
junior Chris Lapriore of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and senior
Marvin Evans of Western Connecticut State University.
Evans was picked by the coaches as the Player of the Year and freshman
Karmari Williams of Rhode Island College was voted the Rookie of the Year. Keene
State head coach Rob Colbert was picked by his peers as the Coach of the Year.
"Although Jason's statistical numbers were not as overpowering as (the 2002-
03 season), it is obvious to those close to our program that he made a successful
effort to adjust his game for the good of the team." praised head coach Karl
Henrikson.
"Opponents speak of stopping Jason first when preparing to play us, and he
responded by raising his assist total and by being more selective about his shots
attempts," added Henrikson.
During the recently completed 2003-2004 season, Levecque lead the Huskies in
scoring for the second straight year, averaging 16.5 points per game. He averaged
3.0 rebounds per contest, dished out 60 assists and made 40 steals. He shot 43.6
percent (152 of 349) from the field, including 32.5 percent (25 of 77) from beyond
the three-point arc, and 73.5 percent from the foul line (83 of 113). In the
latest LEC statistics, Levecque is ranked fourth in scoring and sixth in free
throw percentage.
The 6-foot-2 guard, who transferred to USM from Keene State after his
freshman year, scored in double figures in 22 of the 25 games he played (he missed
one game due to injury). He scored a career-high 39 against Trinity College
(Hartford, Conn.) in the season-opening game, and surpassed the 1,000-career point
plateau (including his year at Keene State) in January against UMass Dartmouth.
He was named LEC Player of the Week one time, and named to the weekly honor on two
occasions.
Southern Maine finished the season 9-17 overall and 3-11 in the Little East.
Little East Conference - 2003-'04 Men's Basketball Awards
Player of the Year
Marvin Evans, Senior, Forward, Western Connecticut State University
Rookie of the Year
Kamari Williams, Freshman, Guard, Rhode Island College
Coach of the Year
Rob Colbert, Keene State College
First Team All-Conference
Player Cl. Pos. Institution Hometown
Michael Kipphut Sr. F Eastern Connecticut Meriden, Conn.
Chris Timson Sr. F Keene State College Beverly, Mass.
Chris Lapriore Jr. F UMass Dartmouth Grafton, Mass.
Anthony Oglesby Jr. F Plymouth State Brooklyn, N.Y.
Nick Pelotte Jr. G Plymouth State Bingham, Maine
Marvin Evans Sr. F Western Connecticut Stratford, Conn.
Second Team All-Conference
Player Cl. Pos. Institution Hometown
Alphonse Michalski Sr. G Keene State College Northampton, Mass.
Matt Wheeler Sr. F Keene State College Shrub Oak, N.Y.
Kamran Alemdar Sr. G Rhode Island College Stockholm, Sweden
Jason Levecque Jr. G Southern Maine Westbrook, Maine
Brice Assie Jr. F Western Connecticut Bridgeport, Conn.
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Tuesday, February 24, 2004
Plymouth State Holds Off Southern Maine 75-70
PLYMOUTH, N.H. -- Freshman Andreas Pope (Brooklyn, N.Y.) came off the bench
to score a game-high 21 points as the second-seeded Plymouth State University
Panthers held off the determined seventh-seeded University of Southern Maine
Huskies 75-70 in an opening round game of the 2004 Little East Conference Men's
Basketball Championship Tuesday night at the foley Gymnasium.
The win was the seventh straight for the Panthers who improved to 22-4
overall. Plymouth State will move into the semifinals Friday night against sixth-
seeded University of Massachusetts Dartmouth which upset third seeded Eastern
Connecticut State University, 62-61. The other semifinal match-up pits top seeded
Keene State College against fourth seeded Western Connecticut State University.
Southern Maine ends its first season under first-year coach Karl Henrikson at
9-17.
Pope, a 6-foot-1 forward, connnected on 6-of-9 shots from the floor and 9-of-
10 from the foul line for his 21 points. He also grabbed five rebounds, dished
out three assists and made two steals.
Down by 11 at the break, the Huskies chipped away at the Panther's lead over
the first 13 minutes to finally take their first lead (52-51) since early in the
first half when sophomore Caleb Sayward (Raymond, Maine) hit a short jumper with
7:27 left in regulation.
Pope sparked a 16-4 run over the next five minutes to restore the Panther's
double digit lead (67-56 with 2:23 to play). Southern Maine connected on four
straight three-point shots in the final minute, but the Panthers iced the game
converting 7-of-8 free throws.
In the opening half, the Panthers used an 8-0 run midway through to break an
18-18 tie an establish the early lead. Pope accounted for six of the eight points
during that stretch.
The Huskies battled back to within four (32-28) on junior Ryan Garland's
(Hermon, Maine) three-pointer, but the Panthers scored the final seven points of
the half to take a 39-28 lead to the locker room.
Senior Mike Loughlin (Goffstown, N.H.) ably supported Pope with 20 points,
including 8-of-10 free throws. Junior Anthony Oglesby (Brooklyn, N.Y.) chipped in
14 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.
Southern Maine had a balanced offense as five players finished in double
figures, led by Garland and junior Jay Casterella (Portland, Maine), each with 13
points. Juniors Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) and Derek Lovely (Oxford,
Maine) added 11 points apiece, and Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) finished
with 10 points and five assists. Casterella shared game-high reobunding honors
with Oglesby, grabbing seven boards.
Southern Maine shot 52.1 percent (25 of 48) from the floor, including 9-of-16
from beyond the three-point arc. Plymouth State finished the game shooting 48
percent (24 for 50) from the floor, but had a big edge at the foul line,
converting 25 of 34 charity tosses. Southern Maine made 11 of 15 free throws.
USM had a slim 30-27 advantage on the boards.
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Saturday, February 21, 2004
Southern Maine Knocks Off UMass Dartmouth, 74-68
GORHAM, Maine -- Junior guard Derek Lovely (Oxford, Maine) hit a string of
three three-point shots in the second half to help the University of Southern
Maine Huskies fend off the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Corsairs 74-68 in
a Little East Conference game Saturday afternoon at the Warren G. Hill Gymnasium.
The game was the regular season finale for both teams.
Southern Maine finished 9-16 overall and 3-11 in the Little East, and will be
the seventh seed in the championship tournament which begins Tuesday night. The
Huskies will travel to second-seeded Plymouth State University. UMass Dartmouth
ended the season 12-13 overall and 5-9 in the conference. The Corsairs are the
sixth seed and will travel to an opponent to be determined.
A 6-0 run, keyed by a pair of baskets by sophomore forward Chris Lapriore
(Grafton, Mass.), gave the Corsairs a one-point lead (56-55) with nine minutes to
play before Lovely went found his stroke.
The 6-foot guard snapped a three-minute dry spell for the Huskies with his
first trifecta of the half. Junior Matt McAuliffe (Sutton, Mass.) hit a two-
pointer for the Corsairs, but Lovely came right back with his second three-
pointer. Another McAuliffe deuce, followed by Lovely's third long-range bomb,
left the Huskies up 64-60 with just under seven minutes to play.
The Huskies twice pushed the lead to six over the next three minutes on
baskets by sophomore Jesse McKinnell (Manomet, Mass.) and junior Mike Francoeur
(Somersworth, N.H.). Junior Joseph Britto (Fairhaven, Mass.) pulled the Corsairs
within three (70-67) with one of two free throws and a basket with 2:14 to play,
but the visitors would get no closer in the final two minutes.
Southern Maine led throughout the slow-paced first half. The Huskies enjoyed
their biggest lead of 10 points when junior Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine)
scored to make it 32-22. The Corsairs closed back to within eight when Britto
scored on a second-chance shot at the buzzer to make it 37-29 at half-time.
Lovely shared team-high scoring honors with junior Ryan Garland (Hermon,
Maine) and Levecque, each tossing in 14 points. Junior Jay Casterella (Portland,
Maine) and Francoeur finished with 10 points. Casterella led all rebounders with
nine boards.
Lapriore, who was saddled with three fouls and just two points in the first
half, poured in 17 second-half points to take game-high honors with 19 points.
Britto had 14 points, freshman Paul Pawlowski (Taunton, Mass.) chipped in 12 and
sophomore Devon Maiorano (Rehoboth, Mass.) had 10.
Southern Maine finished the game shooting 57.4 percent (27 of 47) from the
floor, including 56.3 percent (9 for 16) from beyond the three-point arc. UMass
Dartmouth shot 44.2 percent (27 of 61) from the floor, but converted just 3 of 17
shots from three-point territory.
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Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Anthony Oglesby Paces Plymouth State, 92-65 Over Southern Maine
PLYMOUTH, N.H. - Junior Anthony Oglesby (Brooklyn, N.Y.) registered game-
high totals of 22 points and 10 rebounds to pace four Panthers in double figures
and lead Plymouth State University to a 92-65 triumph over the visiting University
of Southern Maine Huskies in Little East Conference action on Tuesday night.
Plymouth State extended its current winning streak to five straight while
improving to 20-4 overall and 10-3 in the conference. Southern Maine slipped to
8-16 and 2-11. The two teams will close out the regular season on Saturday
afternoon when the Huskies host the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and the
Panthers entertain Western Connecticut State University.
Plymouth State led from start to finish, and scored the game's first nine
points, including five from Oglesby. A layup from sophomore Kevin Boutilier
(North Andover, Mass.) gave the Panthers a 34-22 advantage with 5:45 remaining.
The Huskies answered with five consecutive points on a pair of free throws
from junior Derek Lovely (Oxford, Maine) and a three-pointer from junior Ryan
Garland (Hermon, Maine) to pull within 34-27 with 4:53 remaining. Southern Maine
would pull no closer the remainder of the contest.
Plymouth State closed out the half with a 15-4 run to take a 49-31 advantage
at the break. Of the Panthers' final 11 points in the frame, nine came from the
foul line.
Following the break, Southern Maine closed to 54-41 on a three-pointer from
Garland with 15:47 remaining, but the Panthers answered with an 8-0 run to put the
game out of reach at 62-41 with 13:29 remaining.
The Panthers took their largest lead of the evening at 89-53 on a lay-up from
sophomore Charles Gaddy (Hartford, Conn.) with 4:33 remaining.
Plymouth State held a commanding 48-34 edge on the glass, and connected on
32-of-67 (.478) field goals, while limiting Southern Maine to 17-of-53 (.321)
shooting.
The Panthers received 17 points from Boutilier, 15 points from freshman
Andreas Pope (Brooklyn, N.Y.), and 14 points from senior Mike Loughlin
(Manchester, N.H.).
The Huskies were paced by Garland, who scored a team-high 16 points, while
freshman Ian Hebert (Gray, Maine) added nine points.
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Saturday, February 14, 2004
Rhode Island College Pulls Away from Southern Maine 77-61
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Rhode Island College Anchormen used an 18-3 run
over the final 6:46 to pull away from the visiting University of Southern Maine
Huskies and post a 77-61 victory in Little East Conference action Saturday
afternoon at The McMurray Center.
The win was the fourth straight for the surging Anchormen, and improved their
overall record to 11-12 and 7-5 in the conference. Southern Maine dropped to 8-15
overall and 2-10 in the Little East.
Rhode Island College led 59-58 with 6:46 to play after USM sophomore Quinn
Fulcher (South Royalton, Vt.) hit a three-point shot. Freshman Kevin Zalucki
(Enfield, Conn.) and junior Jason Harris (Bedford, Mass.) combined to scored the
next eight points to give the Anchormen a 67-58 advantage with 2:11 to go.
After sophomore Jesse McKinnell (Manomet, Mass.) made one of two free throws
for the Huskies, seniors Kamran Alemdar (Stockholm, Sweden) and Lester Carter
(Boston, Mass.) scored the next 10 points, including 8-of-8 from the foul line, to
clinch the win. USM freshman Ian Hebert (Gray, Maine) scored the final basket to
account for the final score.
Southern Maine had the edge in play during the first half, building an
11-point lead (23-12) midway through the half. The Anchormen used a 12-1 run over
a span of 3:33 to pull even at 24-24. The Huskies responded by rebuilding their
lead back up to eight (35-27 and 37-29) before Alemdar scored the final six points
of the half on a pair of three-point shots to leave the Huskies with a slim two-
point advantage (37-35) at intermission.
Alemdar paced five Anchormen in double figures with a game-high 18 points
while Zalucki finished with 14 points. Sophomore Brian Stanko (Swansea, Mass.)
and freshman Kamari Williams (Springfield, Mass.) each had 12 points while Carter
finished with 11 points off the bench.
Southern Maine was led by junior Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) who had 15
points. Junior Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) added 13 points and sophomore Caleb
Sayward (Raymond, Maine) came off the bench to toss in 11.
The Anchormen shot 52 percent (13 for 25) from the floor in the second half
to finish the game shooting 41.7 percent (25 for 60). Southern Maine, which shot
a blistering 53.6 percent (15 for 28) in the first half, went stone cold in the
second half to shoot only 28.6 percent (6 for 21). The Huskies finished the game
shooting 42.9 percent.
USM will hit the road against Tuesday when it travels to Plymouth, N.H., to
take on Plymouth State University. Rhode Island College will travel to Western
Connecticut State University, also on Tuesday.
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Tuesday, February 10, 2004
Southern Maine Holds Off UMass Boston, 82-73
GORHAM, Maine - Sophomore forward Caleb Sayward (Raymond, Maine) scored a
career-high 20 points to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies University
to an 82-73 triumph over the University of Massachusetts Boston Beacons in Little
East Conference action on Tuesday evening at the Hill gym.
Southern Maine, which avenged a 94-85 setback in January at UMass Boston,
improves to 8-14 overall and 2-9 in the league, while the Beacons fall to 5-17 and
1-9. The teams return to action on Saturday when Southern Maine travels to Rhode
Island College and UMass Boston entertains Plymouth State University.
The game remained a one-possession contest throughout the opening moments of
the second half, and UMass Boston tied the score at 52-52 on a single free throw
from junior Roger Perry (Roxbury, Mass.). A three-pointer from freshman Perkins
Pierribia (Boston, Mass.) gave the Beacons a 55-52 lead with 10:25 to play.
However, it would be UMass Boston's final lead of the contest. Sophomore Bill
Hardwick (Boothbay, Maine) hit a lay up and made the ensuing free throw to tie the
score at 55-55 with 9:40 to play, before junior Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) hit a
lay up to cap a fast break and give the Huskies the lead for good at 57-55 with
8:56 remaining.
Southern Maine gradually pulled away down the stretch, and took its largest
lead at 78-66 on a lay up from junior Mike Francoeur (Somerswoth, N.H.) with 1:31
to play in the contest.
The Huskies also received 17 points from Garland, 10 points from junior Jason
Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) and nine points and a team-high eight rebounds from
sophomore Jesse McKinnell (Manomet, Mass.).
UMass Boston was paced by junior Roger Perry (Roxbury, Mass.), who tallied 20
points, while junior James Hall (Jacksonville, Fla.) added 16 points and 12
rebounds, Pierribia contributed 11 points and 11 boards and junior Eddie Ramos
(Malden, Mass.) had 16 points.
Southern Maine outscored UMass Boston by a 78-51 margin from the floor, but
the Beacons made 22-30 (.733) free throws, while the Huskies made but 4-11 (.364).
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Saturday, February 7, 2004
Keene State College Beats Southern Maine 75-61
Owls Remain Perfect in the LEC
GORHAM, Maine - Senior forward Matt Wheeler (Shrub Park, N.Y.) registered
game highs of 30 points and 17 rebounds and the Keene State College Owls withstood
a determined effort by the host University of Southern Maine Huskies to post a
75-61 triumph in Little East Conference action on Saturday afternoon at the Hill
Gym.
Keene State, which was receiving votes in the most recent D3Hoops.com
national poll, improved to a perfect 10-0 in the league and 17-4 overall, while
Southern Maine slipped to 1-9 in the conference and 7-14 overall. The teams return
to action on Tuesday, when the Owls welcome arch-rival Plymouth State to Keene,
N.H., and the Huskies play host to UMass Boston.
A running jumper from sophomore Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) pulled the
Huskies within 67-61 with 1:26 remaining. However, the Huskies would not score
again as the Owls closed the contest with an 8-0 run. Senior Chris Timson
(Beverly, Mass.) hit a pair of lay ups, Wheeler added a lay up and junior Harley
Davis (Newburyport, Mass.) contributed a pair of free throws with 10 seconds
remaining to account for the final score.
The second half witnessed each team compile a large run, before the two
defenses dominated over the final 10 minutes. A short jumper from Levecque pulled
the Huskies to within 36-32 with 19:15 to play, but the Owls responded with an 11-
2 run, capped by a pair of free throws from sophomore Ben Maynard (Nobleboro,
Maine) to build a 47-34 edge with 14:27 to play.
Southern Maine answered with a 17-0 run, highlighted by three pointers from
juniors Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.), Derek Lovely (Oxford, Maine) and
Levecque to grab a 51-47 lead with 9:42 remaining.
The Owls took the lead for good at 54-52 on a put back of a missed shot by
sophomore Sean Sullivan (Athol, Mass.) with 7:57 to play. After Wheeler made a
single free throw to extend the lead to 55-52 with 7:39 to play, Southern Maine
closed to 55-54 on a steal and lay up from junior Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine)
with 6:59 remaining. Keene State responded with a 7-0 run capped by a layup from
Wheeler to build a 63-54 lead with 4:26 to play.
The Huskies pulled to within six points on three occasions, with the final
time coming on Levecque's jumper with 1:26 remaining.
Keene State also received 17 points from senior Alphonse Michalski
(Northampton, Mass.) and 12 points and six assists from Timson.
For Southern Maine, Levecque registered a team-high 19 points and sophomore
Jesse McKinnell (Manomet, Mass.) tallied 13 points and a team-high 13 rebounds.
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Wednesday, February 4, 2004
Huskies Snap Losing Skid, Beat St. Joseph’s 64-53
STANDISH, Maine -- Junior guard Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) scored
a team-high 17 points on 7 of 9 shooting to lead the University of Southern
Maine Huskies to a 64-53 victory over the St. Joseph’s College Monks in a non-
conference game Wednesday night at the Alfond Center.
The win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Huskies, and improved
their overall record to 7-13. St. Joseph’s lost its third straight game to fall
to 6-14.
The Huskies trailed on only one occasion in the game (4-3) when sophomore
Noah LaRoche (Exeter, N.H.) hit a pair of free throws two minutes into the game.
Francoeur responded for the Huskies with the first of his three first-half
three-point shots that ignited a 7-0 run and gave the visitors a 10-4 lead.
A quick 5-0 burst by the Monks’ junior captain Steve Monteiro (Ipswich,
Mass.) got St. Joe’s back within one (10-9), but an ensuing 6-0 run kept the
Huskies in command.
After two free throws by freshman Colby Emmons (Portland, Maine) and a
basket by Monteiro cut the deficit to three (16-13), the Huskies scored the
game’s next 10 points to take a double-digit lead. USM took a 32-21 advantage
to the locker room at half-time as junior Derek Lovely (Oxford, Maine) hit a
three-pointer at the buzzer.
The Huskies maintained their lead throughout the second half as the Monks
never got closer than seven points (two occasions, the last at 49-42).
Lovely was the only other USM player in double figures with 12 points.
Monteiro led all scorers in the game with 18 points. Sophomore Mike
Stallings (Waterbury, Conn.) added 13.
The Huskies shot 48 percent (24 for 50) from the floor, including 7 of 14
from beyond the three-point arc while holding the Monks to 35.2 percent (19 for
54) shooting. St. Joe’s, which had a 39-28 edge on the boards, hurt its own
cause making only 13 of 23 free throws.
Southern Maine returns to action on Saturday when it hosts Little East
Conference rival Keene State College at the Warren Hill Gymnasium. Game time is
3:00 p.m. St. Joseph’s is off until next Tuesday (February 10) when it travels
to Bates College.
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Saturday, January 31, 2004
Marvin Evans Leads Western Connecticut By Southern Maine 100-82
DANBURY, Conn. -- Senior Marvin Evans (Stratford, Conn.) connected on
12-of-18 shots from the floor on the way to scoring a game-high 26 as the Western
Connecticut State University Colonials defeated the University of Southern Maine
Huskies 100-82 in a Little East Conference game Saturday afternoon at Feldman
Arena.
The win improved the Colonials' overall record to 10-8 and 5-4 in the Little
East, and gave them a sweep of the two-game season series. Southern Maine dropped
its fifth straight game to fall to 6-13 overall and 1-8 in the conference.
Leading by four (36-32) with 3:34 to go in the first half, the Colonials went
on a 16-3 run, including the final nine points, to close out the half and take a
commanding 52-35 at the break. Evans had four points in the run, while sophomore
Greg Cole (Queens, N.Y.) buried a couple of three-point shots.
The onslaught continued in the opening minutes of the second half as the
Colonials went on a 18-5 run to increase the margin to 30 (70-40) with 15 minutes
to play.
Southern Maine whittled away at the huge deficit and got within 11 (91-80)
when sophomore Quinn Fulcher (South Royalton, Vt.) made a pair of free throws with
2:31 to play, but the Colonials closed the game with a 9-2 run to account for the
final margin.
Evans paced five Colonials in double figures with his 26 points. Junior
Brice Assie (Bridgeport, Conn.) hit 9-of-14 shots to finish with 21 points and a
team-high 11 rebounds. Junior Jeff Gene (Bridgeport, Conn.) added 15 while junior
Kimani Crawford (West Hartford, Conn.) contributed 13 and Cole came off the bench
to toss in 10.
Leading Southern Maine was junior Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) who had
22 points. Sophomore Jesse McKinnell (Manomet, Mass.) posted his fourth straight
double-double with 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Junior Ryan Garland
(Hermon, Maine) had 10 points.
Southern Maine shot 48.7 percent (37 of 76) from the floor while Western
Connecticut connected on 52.2 percent (36 of 69) of its shots. The Colonials had
a wide margin at the foul line, making 23 of 35 charity tosses while the Huskies
made just six of ten free throws.
The Huskies will look to break their losing streak on Wednesday when they
travel to Standish, Maine, to take on St. Joseph's College. Western Connecticut
will take on Lasell College on Tuesday.
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Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Plymouth State Downs Southern Maine 84-70
GORHAM, Maine -- Junior Nick Pelotte (Bingham, Maine/Valley HS) scored 22
points to pace five Plymouth State University players in double figures as the
Panthers defeated the upset-minded University of Southern Maine Huskies 84-70 in a
Little East Conference game Tuesday night at the Warren G. Hill Gymnasium.
The win improved the Panthers' overall record to 15-3, and they are 6-2 in
the conference. Southern Maine dropped its fourth straight game to fall to 6-12
overall and 1-7 in LEC play. The two teams have a return match in Plymouth, N.H.,
on February 17.
Pelotte gave the Panthers their first lead of the game with 2:40 to play in
the first half with has second straight basket. The Panthers' defense held the
USM offense to just one three-point basket by sophomore Quinn Fulcher (South
Royalton, Vt.) over the final five minutes to help erase a seven-point deficit and
take a 45-41 advantage to the locker room at the break.
In the second half, the Panthers dominated the game, quickly pushing the
margin into double figures for the first time at 55-45 when Pelotte buried a
three-point shot.
USM closed the gap to five (57-52) when sophomore Jesse McKinnell (Manomet, Mass.)
knocked down a pair of free throws, but senior Mike Loughlin (Manchester, N.H.)
hit the second of his three second-half three-pointers to swing the momentum.
The Panthers closed out the game as Pelotte and Loughlin combined to convert
9 of 12 free throws in the final three minutes.
Pelotte made 7 of 16 shots, including a pair of three-pointers, and 6 of 8
free throws for his 22 points to share game-high scoring honors. He also dished
off a game-high seven assists. Loughlin finished the game with 19 points,
including making four-of-six shots from beyond the three-point arc.
Six-foot-six sophomore forward Kevin Boutilier (North Andover, Mass.) added
16 points (7 of 11 from the floor), 13 coming in the first half. Freshman Andreas
Pope (Brooklyn, N.Y.) came off the bench to toss in 11 points and junior Anthony
Oglesby (Brooklyn, N.Y.) chipped in 10.
Southern Maine was led by junior Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) who scored
22 points to share game-high scoring honors with Pelotte. Junior Mike Francoeur
(Somersworth, N.H.) had 16 points while McKinnell recorded his third straight
double-double with 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Plymouth State made 50.8 percent (31 of 61) of its field goal attempts while
holding Southern Maine to 37.3 percent (22 of 59) shooting. The Panthers held a
slight 38-35 edge on the boards.
The Huskies travel to Danbury, Conn., on Saturday to take on the Western
Connecticut State University Colonials in their next outing. The Panthers will be
at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth on Saturday.
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Monday, January 26, 2004
McKinnell Named Little East Conference Rookie of the Week
GORHAM, Maine -- For the second time this season, sophomore forward Jesse
McKinnell (Manomet, Mass./Scituate HS) of the University of Southern Maine men's
basketball team has been named the Little East Conference Rookie of the Week. The
announcement of the weekly award winners for the period of January 19-25 was made
Monday afternoon by the conference office.
In two LEC games last week, McKinnell averaged a double-double with 14.5
points and 10.0 rebounds. The 6-foot-6 forward shot 68.4 percent (13 for 19) from
the floor and converted three-of-five free throws in the two games.
Against the University of Massachusetts Boston, McKinnell tossed in 16 points
(7 of 10 from the floor) and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 94-85 loss. This past
Saturday against Eastern Connecticut State University, he had a team-high 13
points (6 of 9 from the floor), corralled a game-high 10 rebounds and blocked two
shots in a 68-42 loss. The two double-doubles last week give him four double-
doubles in 15 games this season.
"Jesse has become a consistent inside presence for us at both ends of the
floor, and he's become an integral part of our team this season. He's also
demonstrating leadership on the court, both in games and in practices," praised
first-year head coach Karl Henrikson.
Since returning from a hand injury that sidelined him for of the season-
opening Trinity College Tip-Off Tournament, McKinnell has averaged 8.0 points and
7.3 rebounds per game. He is third on the team in scoring and leads the Huskies
in rebounding. His 53.9 percent field goal shooting and 18 blocked shots lead the
team.
According to the latest LEC statistics released today, McKinnell ranks fifth
in rebounding, seventh in field goal percentage and fourth in blocked shots.
Southern Maine, 6-11 overall and 1-6 in Little East play, hosts Plymouth
State University in its game on Tuesday (7:30 p.m.).
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Saturday, January 24, 2004
Warriors Pull Away, Beat Huskies 68-42
GORHAM, Maine -- The Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors used an
8-0 run midway through the first half to take command of the game and methodically
pulled away from the host University of Southern Maine Huskies to post a 68-42
triumph in a Little East Conference game Saturday afternoon at the Warren G. Hill
Gymnasium.
The win was the fifth straight with the Warriors who swept the season's two-
game series and have won nine of the last ten meetings between the two clubs.
Eastern Connecticut improved to 9-7 overall and 5-2 in Little East play. Southern
Maine dropped its third straight game to fall to 6-11 overall and 1-6 in the
conference.
Leading by one (12-11) with 11:25 to go in the half, the Warriors scored
eight straight points over a three-minute span to take a 20-11 advantage. Senior
forward Michael Kipphut (Meriden, Conn.) had the final two hoops in the run before
USM countered with a basket by sophomore Caleb Sayward (Raymond, Maine). ECSU
senior Michael Bartunek (Durham, Conn.) scored on an inbounds play with one second
go to send the Warriors to the locker room with a 34-24 lead at halftime.
The Warriors opened the second half with a three-point shots from sophomore
Martin Kokoszka (Meriden, Conn.) and senior Gordon Shepard (Waterbury, Conn.) to
expand the margin to 16 (40-24).
Southern Maine, which shot only 30% (6 for 20) from the floor in the second
half, gamely fought back to within 10 (48-38) when junior Jason Levecque
(Westbrook, Maine) converted one of two free throws with 9:12 to play.
Senior Christopher Morgan (New Britain, Conn.) hit a three-pointer and a
layup for the Warriors to push the lead back to 15, and the visitors from
Willimantic (Conn.) were never seriously threatened the rest of the way.
The ECSU defense did the job at the other end of the floor, holding the
Huskies to just one basket by sophomore Jesse McKinnell (Manomet, Mass.) and a
pair of free throws by freshman Ian Hebert (Gray, Maine) over the final nine
minutes.
Kokoszka paced three Eastern players in double figures and shared game-high
scoring honors with 13 points. Kipphut had 12 points and a team-high eight
rebounds, and Shepard added 10 points to move within 17 of the 1,000-career point
plateau.
McKinnell was the Huskies leading scorer with 13 points and grabbing a game-
high 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. Junior Mike
Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) had 12 points.
The Warriors finished the game shooting 64.4% from the floor (26 of 56) and
held a 34-30 edge on the boards. Southern Maine shot a season-low 32.7% (16 for
49) for the game.
Southern Maine returns to action Tuesday night when Plymouth State University
comes to the Hill Gym. Eastern Connecticut travels to Keene State College on
Tuesday.
##################################################################################
Tuesday, January 20, 2004
Beacons Get First LEC Win, Defeat Huskies 94-85
BOSTON -- Juniors Roger Perry (Roxbury, Mass.) and Eric Summerville
(Little Rock, Ark.) combined for 59 points to lead the University of
Massachusetts Boston Beacons to their first Little East Conference victory of
the season by defeating the University of Southern Maine Huskies 94-85 at the
Clark Athletic Center Tuesday evening.
The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the Beacons who improved
to 4-11 overall and 1-5 in the conference. The loss dropped the Huskies’
overall record to 6-10 and 1-5 in the conference. The two teams will meet again
February 10 at Southern Maine.
Trailing by three (50-47) with 15 minutes to play, Summerville and Perry
combined for 11 points during a decisive 17-4 run over a six-minute span that
gave the hosts a 64-54 advantage. The Huskies would get no closer than seven
(67-60) the remainder of the way.
The teams exchanged the lead eight times in the first half before the
Beacons went to the locker room up one (38-37) at the intermission. UMass
Boston opened the game with a 9-0 run before USM got on the board. The Huskies
earned their first lead (17-16) on a three-point shot by sophomore Quinn Fulcher
(South Royalton, Vt.) midway through the half. Neither team led by more than
six (USM 32-26) the rest of the half.
The second half opened the way the first closed, with six lead changes and
two ties over the first five minutes before the Beacons’ decisive run.
Perry made 7 of 11 shots, including 5 of 7 three-pointers, from the floor
and 11 of 14 from the foul line for 30 points to take game-high scoring honors.
Summerville made 11 of 20 field goal attempts, including 5 of 11 trifectas, on
the way to 29 points. He also dished out eight assists and made six steals.
Junior Eddie Ramos (Malden, Mass.) aided Perry and Summerville with 17
points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Freshman Tony Barros (Dorchester, Mass.)
added 10 points.
Junior Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) led the Southern Maine offense
with 22 points. Sophomore Jesse McKinnell (Manomet, Mass.) posted a double-
double with 16 points and 10 rebounds while Fulcher finished with 15 points.
The Huskies shot 53.4 percent (31 of 58) from the floor, including 10 of 25
from beyond the three-point arc, but committed 23 turnovers. UMB shot 49.2
percent from the floor (30 of 61), including 13 of 27 from three-point
territory. The Beacons also converted 21 of 30 free throws.
##################################################################################
Saturday, January 17, 2004
Corsairs Pull Away in Second Half to Defeat Huskies 85-69
NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. -- Juniors Chris Lapriore (Grafton, Mass.), Joe
Britto (Fairhaven, Mass.) and Matt McAuliffe (Sutton, Mass.) combined for 60
points as the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Corsairs defeated the
University of Southern Maine Huskies 85-69 in Little East Conference action
Saturday afternoon.
The Corsairs snapped a four-game losing skid with the win, and improved to
7-7 overall and 1-4 in the conference. Southern Maine slipped to 6-9 overall and
1-4 in LEC play.
The opening half was a series of momentum swings as each team enjoyed the
lead. The Huskies opened a five-point advantage (11-6), their biggest of the
game, when junior Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) converted two-of-three free
throws.
UMD responded with a 10-0 run to take a 16-11 lead after junior James
Campbell (Marlboro, Mass.) hit a pair of free throws with 10:43 to go.
Southern Maine right came back to forge four-point leads on two occasions,
the last on junior Jason Levecque's (Westbrook, Maine) three-point field goal with
5:01 left. That shot pushed Levecque over the 1,000-career point plateau for his
three-year career (one year at Keene State and two at USM).
After two lead changes and two ties, the Corsairs outscored the Huskies 7-4
over the final two minutes to take a three-point lead into the locker room.
A 12-2 run by the Corsairs to open the second half pushed the margin to 13
(54-41), and the Huskies would get no closer than 10 the rest of the way. The
largest margin was 19 (76-57) when Britto buried a three-pointer.
The Huskies had no answers for Lapriore inside as the 6-foot-5 forward
connected on 10 of 15 shots from the floor on the way to a team-high 22 points,
and he grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds. Britto dropped in 5 of 9 shots, including
a pair of three-pointers, and made 8 of 10 free throws for 20 points while
McAuliffe finished with 18 points. Sophomore Devon Majorano (Rehobeth, Mass.)
chipped in with 10 points.
Levecque was Huskies' only offensive answer to the Corsairs attack, taking
game-high scoring honors with 24 points. Junior Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) was
the only other USM player to reach double figures finishing with 10 points.
The Huskies hit the road on Tuesday for another Little East Conference
contest against the University of Massachusetts Boston. UMass Dartmouth will host
Rhode Island College in an LEC tilt, also on Tuesday.
##################################################################################
Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Southern Maine Holds Off Rhode Island College, 71-68
GORHAM, Maine - Junior guard Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) hauled in a
rebound of a missed foul shot that could have tied the game with three seconds to
play, and drained a pair of free throws as the University of Southern Maine
Huskies withstood a ferocious comeback by the Rhode Island College Anchormen to
post a 71-68 Little East Conference triumph on Tuesday night at the Hill Gym.
Triumphant in four of its past five outings, Southern Maine improves to 6-8
overall and 1-3 in the conference, while Rhode Island College slipped to 5-8 and
2-1. The teams return to action on Saturday, when the Huskies travel to UMass
Dartmouth, while the Anchormen will host Keene State.
After sophomore guard K.C. Grandfield (Dartmouth, Mass.) pulled the Anchormen
within 69-67 on a layup with 27 seconds remaining, freshman guard Kamari Williams
(Springfield, Mass.) had a chance to tie the game when he was awarded two foul
shots with three seconds to play. Williams made the first cut the deficit to 69-
68, but the second shot hit the iron and bounced out to the left.
Levecque corralled the rebound, and was immediately fouled with one second to
play.
A put back by sophomore forward Caleb Sayward (Raymond, Maine) gave the
Huskies a seemingly comfortable 55-42 advantage with 14:40 to play. However, the
Anchormen answered with a 19-11 run, capped by a lay up and foul shot from
sophomore Brendan Mullen (Fairhaven, Mass.) to pull within 63-61 with 6:23
remaining. Although Southern Maine never lost the lead, it could never increase
the advantage by more than four points.
The game witnessed 12 lead changes and four ties in the opening 20 minutes,
before Southern Maine took the lead for good at 30-28 on a conventional three-
point play by Levecque.
Junior Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) led the Huskies with 19 points, while
Levecque finished with 15, freshman Jesse McKinnell (Manomet, Mass.) added 12 and
Sayward contributed 10 for the Huskies.
The Anchormen were led by junior forward Jason Harris (Bedford, Mass.), who
tallied a game-high 21 points, while senior Kamran Alemdar (Stockholm, Swe.) added
nine points and Williams finished with eight.
##################################################################################
Saturday, January 10, 2004
Keene State Pulls Away From Southern Maine 79-63
KEENE, N.H. -- The Keene State College Owls overcame a seven-point first-
half deficit to take a 31-24 lead at halftime, then pulled away in the second half
to post a 79-63 victory over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a Little
East Conference game Saturday afternoon at the Spaulding Gymnasium.
The win was the third straight for the Owls who improved to 9-2 overall and
2-0 in the conference. The Huskies, who had their three-game winning streak
stopped, fell to 5-8 overall and 0-3 in the conference.
The Huskies built an 18-11 advantage midway through the first half when
junior Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) hit a three-point shot from the wing to
cap off a 9-1 run.
Keene State junior Harley Davis (Newburyport, Mass.) ignited a 10-0 run that
wiped out the Huskies' lead. Senior Alphonse Michalski (Northampton, Mass.)
buried a three-point shot with two seconds to go to give the Owls their 31-24 edge
at the break.
The Owls pushed the lead into double figures to open the second half on
layups by senior Chris Timson (Beverly, Mass.) and Michalski. As the Huskies'
offense when cold, Keene State expanded the lead. A 13-2 run pushed the advantage
to 21 (51-30) with 11:19 to play. The largest margin was 29 (71-42) when senior
Bennett Pawlusiak (Bedford, N.H.) hit two free throws.
A 21-8 run by the Huskies over the final four minutes closed the gap.
Senior Matt Wheeler (Shrub Oak, N.Y.) paced four Keene State players in
double figures with 12 points. Michalski finished with 11 points and a team high
five assists while Pawlusiak and Davis each had 10 points.
USM junior Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) took game high scoring honors
with 17 points. Levecque added 14 points while sophomore Caleb Sayward (Raymond,
Maine) came off the bench to contribute 11 points.
For the game, Southern Maine shot 38.9% from the floor (21 for 54) in the
game while Keene State converted on 35.8% of its shots (24 for 67). The Owls had
a huge 51-33 advantage on the boards. The Owls had 20 offensive rebounds in the
game.
Southern Maine returns home Tuesday night to host Rhode Island College in a
Little East match at the Hill Gymnasium. Keene State will host Western
Connecticut State University on Tuesday.
##################################################################################
Thursday, January 8, 2004
(Courtesy of UNE Sports Information)
HUSKIES MOVE TO 5-7 WITH 87-69 WIN OVER U.N.E.
USM Goes 28-for-37 at the Charity Stripe in the Victory
BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of Southern Maine Huskies shot a
sizzling 63 percent from the floor to take a 87-69 victory over the University
of New England in a non-conference basketball game Thursday evening at the
Campus Center.
The win was the fifth against seven losses for the Huskies, who, with the
victory, eclipsed their win total of last season. They travel to Keene State
College on Saturday. UNE, which hosts Nichols College on Saturday, dropped to
2-7.
The Huskies went on a 14-4 run midway through the first half to establish
a 31-19 with 4:14 remaining in the stanza. Sophomore Caleb Sayward (Raymond,
Maine) scored 10 points over the first 20 minutes to open up a 41-27 advantage.
Southern Maine made 67 percent (12 of 18) of its field goal attempts in
the second half and was 24 for 30 (80 percent) at the free throw line.
The Huskies took their largest lead of the night (71-49) on a jumper by
sophomore Jesse McKinnell (Manomet, Mass.) with 6:25 to play.
Junior Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) led four USM players in double
figures with 15 points. Sayward finished with 12 markers on 6-for-8 shooting,
while juniors Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) and Ryan Garland (Hermon,
Maine) added 10 points apiece.
Sophomore Mark Oliver (Gloucester, Mass.) netted a career-high 18 points
to pace the UNE offensive attack. Classmate Matt McManus (Cumberland, R.I.)
chipped in with 17 points, senior Brandon Berthiaume (Springfield, Mass.) scored
12 and junior Mike Hardy (Hancock, Maine) 11.
##################################################################################
Tuesday, January 6, 2004
Caleb Sayward Lifts Southern Maine to a 66-65 Win Over Colby
GORHAM, Maine - Sophomore Caleb Sayward (Raymond, Maine) hit a lay-up with 14
seconds remaining to lift the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a thrilling,
66-65 triumph over the visiting Colby College White Mules in non-league action on
Tuesday evening at the Hill Gym.
Triumphant in two straight, Southern Maine will take a 4-7 record into
Thursday's contest at the University of New England, while Colby will enter
Saturday's contest at Bates sporting a 4-8 ledger.
Colby had a final shot at victory in the closing seconds, but a top-of-the-
key jumper from junior Pat McGowan (North Attleboro, Mass.) grazed the iron, and
Southern Maine controlled the rebound as the buzzer sounded.
The White Mules took a 63-60 advantage on a short jumper from McGowan with
2:15 remaining. However, a tenacious defense by the Huskies forced a pair of
turnovers and resulted in fast break lay ups. Sayward pulled the Huskies to within
63-62 with 1:18 to play, before junior Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) gave
Southern Maine a 64-63 advantage with 41 seconds left.
Colby answered on a stellar individual effort by sophomore Andrew Jenkins
(Gorham, Maine), who drove under the basket and whipped a no-look pass over his
shoulder to a trailing McGowan, who scored an easy lay-up to give the White Mules
a 65-64 lead with 24 seconds to play.
Francoeur led the Huskies with 16 points, while junior Jason Levecque
(Westbrook, Maine) and sophomore Bill Hardwick (Boothbay, Maine) added 11 points
each. Freshman Jesse McKinnell (Manomet, Mass.) contributed eight points and a
game-high seven rebounds. Sayward, who finished with eight points, scored six
points in the final 2:28.
Colby was paced by Jenkins, who scored a game-high 20 points, while senior
Nick Loukes (Glenburn, Maine) added 11 points and McGowan finished with 10 points.
##################################################################################
Wednesday, December 31, 2003
Huskies Snap Four-Game Skid with 86-79 Win
PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Junior guard Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) paced
five University of Southern Maine Huskies in double figures with a team-high 19
points as the Huskies snapped a four-game losing streak with an 86-79 victory
over the Saint John’s University (Collegeville, Minn.) Johnnies Wednesday night
at the 2003 Grand Canyon Trip Sports Classic played in Phoenix.
Southern Maine improved to 3-7 on the season under first-year head coach
Karl Henrikson. Saint John’s slipped to 4-5.
The Huskies shot a blistering 61.5% from the field (16 of 26) and
converted 18 of 23 free throws in the second half to overcome a three-point
halftime deficit. Southern Maine made 25 of 34 charity tosses in the game.
Levecque was supported by junior Derek Lovely (Oxford, Maine) who came off
the bench to toss in 17 points, including four three-point field goals.
Classmate Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) contributed 14 points and dished
out eight assists. Sophomores Bill Hardwick (Boothbay, Maine) and Quinn Fulcher
(South Royalton, Vt.) chipped in 11 and 10 points respectively.
Sophomore Paul Henrichs (Stetsonville, Wis.) of Saint John’s led all
scorers with 21 points and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds for a double-double.
Freshman guard Matt Ohme (Bloomington, Minn.) added 20 points. Sophomore Andrew
Spaanem (Osseo, Minn.) was the only other St. John’s player to reach double
figures with 10 points.
St. John’s, which shot 60.9% in the first half (14 of 23) from the floor
on the way to a 36-33 halftime lead, was held to just 35.7% shooting (15 for 42)
in the second half.
The Huskies return home to play Colby College on January 6. Saint John’s
will host St. Mary’s University (Minn.) in its next game on Saturday.
##################################################################################
Wednesday, December 31, 2003
Goucher Pulls Away to Beat Southern Maine 75-59
PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Sophomore Pierre Jones (Baltimore, Md.) came off the
bench to throw in a game-high 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the
Goucher College Gophers to a 75-59 victory over the University of Southern Maine
Huskies at the 2003 Grand Canyon Trip Sports Classic late Tuesday night in
Phoenix.
The win gave the Baltimore, Maryland-based Gophers a split of their two-
game trip to Phoenix and improved their overall record to 6-5. Southern Maine
dropped its fourth straight game to fall to 2-7 overall. The Huskies will
conclude their two games in the tournament Wednesday night when they play St.
John’s University (Minn.) at 8:00 p.m. MST.
Jones and junior forward Trevor Quinn (Severna Park, Md.) helped the
Gophers build a 35-27 lead at the intermission. Quinn had 13 points and six
rebounds before the break while Jones hit on 5-of-6 shots from the floor for 10
points.
Southern Maine, paced by the backcourt tandem of juniors Mike Francoeur
(Somersworth, N.H.) and Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine), stayed within single
digits until the final 10 minutes when the Gophers pulled away.
Jones, a 6-foot-5 forward, connected on 10-of-18 shots from the floor for
his 20 points. Quinn was limited to just three points after halftime to finish
with 16 points. The Gophers shot 57.7% from the floor in the first half (15 of
26), but cooled in the second half to finish the game shooting 48.3% (29 of 60).
Francoeur led the Huskies with 14 points while Levecque added 12.
Sophomore guard Quinn Fulcher (South Royalton, Vt.) came off the bench to add 10
points. Southern Maine was hampered in the second half by some cold field goal
shooting (9 of 31, 29.0%), and poor free throw shooting throughout the contest
(14 of 29, 48.3%).
##################################################################################
Saturday, December 13, 2003
Western Connecticut Holds Off Southern Maine, 81-78
GORHAM, Maine - Junior Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) scored a game-high
26 points, but his three-point shot at the buzzer hit the rim and bounced out as
the visiting Western Connecticut State University Colonials withstood a late rally
to pull out an 81-78 triumph over the host University of Southern Maine Huskies on
Saturday afternoon at the Hill Gym.
Southern Maine fell to 2-6 overall and 0-2 in the conference, while Western
Connecticut improved to 5-3 and 2-0. Each team will be idle over the upcoming
exam break, with the Huskies returning to action on Tuesday, December 30, when
they face Goucher College at the Grand Canyon Classic in Phoenix, Arizona. The
Colonials will entertain Bates in the opening game of the Western Connecticut
Classic on Saturday, January 3.
A three-pointer by junior Levecque pulled Southern Maine within 78-73 with
27.3 seconds to play. After junior Jay Reginatto (Torrington, Conn.) drained a
pair of foul shots to give the Colonials an 80-73 lead with 17.8 seconds to play,
junior Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) hit a driving lay up to cut the Southern
Maine deficit to 80-75 with nine seconds remaining.
Following a Western Connecticut turnover on the inbounds pass, Francoeur hit
a three-pointer from the baseline to pull the Huskies within 80-78 with 5.9
seconds left.
Reginatto made the second of two fouls shots to give the Colonials an 81-78
lead with 5.4 seconds to play.
Southern Maine led throughout much of the contest, but Western Connecticut
put together a 16-1 run midway through the second half to turn a 46-39 deficit
into a 55-47 advantage with 9:54 remaining. Western Connecticut went up by as many
as 12 on three occasions, with the final time coming at 77-65 on a three-pointer
by sophomore Greg Cole (Queens, N.Y.) with 1:39 to play.
Cole led the Colonials with 20 points, while Reginattto contributed 19, and
senior Marvin Evans (Stratford, Conn.) added 16 points.
The Huskies received 23 points from Francoeur, and 11 points and 11 rebounds
from sophomore Jesse McKinnel (Manomet, Mass.).
##################################################################################
Saturday, December 6, 2003
Eastern Connecticut Edges Southern Maine 80-78
WILLIMANTIC, Conn. -- The Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors
used a 13-2 spurt midway through the second half to erase a four-point deficit
and went on to defeat the University of Southern Maine Huskies 80-78 Saturday
afternoon at Geissler Gymnasium. The game was the Little East Conference opener
for both teams.
Eastern Connecticut improved to 4-2 overall with the win. Southern Maine,
which dropped a one-point heartbreaker to Bowdoin on Tuesday, dropped to 2-5
overall.
Trailing 58-54 after a jumper by USM junior Derek Lovely (Oxford, Maine),
Warriors’ senior forward Michael Kipphut (Meriden, Conn.) ignited the decisive
run with a jumper. Sophomore guard Martin Kokoszka (Meriden, Conn.), who came
off the bench to throw in a game-high 22 points, buried a three-pointer with
10:41 to play to give the Warriors the lead for good.
Kokoszka would added another basket, senior Chris Morgan (New Britain,
Conn.) drained a three-pointer, and Kipphut would score in the lane over the
next three minutes, while the Huskies could only manage a second-chance basket
from sophomore forward Jesse McKinnell (Manomet, Mass.), leaving the hosts with
a 67-60 advantage.
Eastern Connecticut nursed the lead over the final seven minutes. The
closest USM would get was the final margin as junior forward Ryan Garland
(Hermon, Maine) hit his second three-pointer in a 10-second span with one second
to play.
The first half was a nip-and-tuck affair featuring 11 lead changes and five
ties before the Huskies inched out to a 38-35 halftime lead on the strength of a
6-2 run over the final two minutes.
Kokoszka would make 7 of 11 shots from the floor and a like number at the
foul line for his game-high 22 points. Kipphut finished the game with 15 points
and a team-high seven rebounds. Junior Antwoime Key (Boston, Mass.) and Morgan
each chipped in 10 points.
Junior guard Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) led the Huskies with 22 to
share game-high honors with Kokoszka. Garland had 19 points while McKinnell
ended the day with eight points and a game-high nine rebounds. McKinnell also
blocked three shots.
Southern Maine will be off until next Saturday (December 13) when defending
LEC champion Western Connecticut State University comes to the Hill Gym for a
3:00 p.m. game. Eastern Connecticut will tangle with LEC rival Rhode Island
College in its next game, also on Saturday.
##################################################################################
Tuesday, December 2, 2003
Bowdoin College Escapes Southern Maine, 71-70
GORHAM, Maine - Sophomore Kyle Petrie (Iowa City, IA) registered game highs
of 29 points and 10 rebounds, and freshman guard Kevin Bradley (Seekonk, Mass.)
drained a pair of free throws with 8.7 seconds remaining, to give the Bowdoin
College Polar Bears a hard-fought, 71-70 triumph over the host University of
Southern Maine Huskies on Tuesday evening at Hill Gym.
The teams return to action on Saturday, when Bowdoin takes a 4-0 record to
Bates, while Southern Maine will take a 2-4 ledger to Eastern Connecticut.
Southern Maine had one final shot at victory, but a long, baseline jumper
from junior forward Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) hit the rim and time expired
before either side could control the rebound.
The game featured four ties and three lead changes over the final 5:13.
Southern Maine took its final lead at 70-69 with 15.2 seconds to play when junior
guard Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) connected on one of two free throws.
The Huskies had forged a 69-67 advantage on a driving lay-up by Levecque with
1:40 to play, but the Polar Bears drew even on a pair of free throws from Petrie
with 1:08 to play.
Petrie connected on 12-15 field goals (.800) and was a perfect 4-4 from the
foul line, while senior guard T.J. McLeod (Gorham, Maine) contributed 13 points
and freshman forward John Goodridge (Merrimack, N.H.) added 10 points.
Southern Maine was paced by junior guard Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.),
who tallied 17 points, while Levecque added 15, Garland contributed 11, and
freshman center Jesse McKinnell (Manomet, Mass.) added 10 points and a team-high
nine rebounds.
Bowdoin held a decided edge on the boards (43-27), which Southern Maine
offset by committing but 10 turnovers while forcing 21.
##################################################################################
Monday, December 1, 2003
USM's McKinnell Named LEC Rookie of the Week
GORHAM, Maine -- University of Southern Maine sophomore forward Jesse
McKinnell (Manomet, Mass./Scituate HS) has been selected as the Rookie of the Week
by the Little East Conference for his play during the week of November 24-30. The
announcement was made by the conference office Monday afternoon.
McKinnell, who did not play basketball while attending the University of
Vermont last year, averaged 8.3 points and 7.7 rebounds to help the Huskies win
two of three games last week. The 6-foot-6 forward shot 58.8 percent (10 for 17)
from the floor and 83 percent (5 of 6) from the foul line.
After missing the season-opening Trinity College Tip-Off Tournament due to a
hand injury, McKinnell came off the bench Tuesday night against Bates College to
score seven points and grab three rebounds in 17 minutes of action to spark a
second-half rally that gave the Huskies a 62-60 victory.
In the opening round of the Maine Event tournament played Friday at Colby
College, McKinnell had eight points (4 of 6 shooting), eight rebounds and two
blocked shots in an 83-64 loss to the Mules.
Making his first start of the campaign against St. Joseph's College in the
third-place game, McKinnell posted his first collegiate "double-double" with 10
points (4 of 6 shooting) and a game-high 12 rebounds in a 64-58, come-from-behind
victory.
Southern Maine, 2-3 on the season, will host Bowdoin College in a non-
conference game Tuesday night (7:30 p.m.) before opening its 2003-04 Little East
Conference schedule on Saturday with a trip to Eastern Connecticut State
University.
##################################################################################
Saturday, November 29, 2003
USM Downs St. Joseph's 64-58 in Third Place Game of The Maine Event
WATERVILLE, Maine -- The University of Southern Maine Huskies used an 8-2
run over the final 1:41 to cap off a 64-58, come-from-behind victory over the
St. Joseph's College Monks in the third place game of the The Maine Event
tournament played Saturday evening at Colby College.
The win was the second in the last three games for the Huskies who improved
to 2-3 on the season. St. Joseph's dropped to 1-4 on the season.
Colby College, the tournament host, took the title behind junior guard
Patrick McGowan's (North Attleboro, Mass.) career-high 39 points in an 85-72 win
over Husson College.
Junior guard Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.) paced four USM players in
double figures with 16 points. Junior guard Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine)
added 15 points while junior forward Ryan Garland (Hermon, Maine) chipped in 12
points. Sophomore forward Jesse McKinnell (Manomet, Mass.), who was named to
the all-tournament team, had a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 12
rebounds.
St. Joseph's sophomore guard Noah LaRoche (Exeter, N.H.) led all scorers
with 21 points. Junior forward Steve Monteiro (Ipswich, Mass.) added 14 points
and grabbed seven rebounds, and was named to the all-tournament team.
After a sluggish start, St. Joseph's took the lead (8-6) on a three-point
basket by LaRoche, who had 18 points in the half, five minutes into the game.
The Monks had the lead up to eight (22-14) before the Huskies went on an 8-0 run
to tie the game (22-22) on a basket and free throw by Francoeur with 5:33 to go.
The Monks responded with a 10-0 run to open their biggest lead of the night, but
McKinnell and Garland scored the final five points of the half to leave St.
Joseph's with a 32-27 advantage at the break.
The Monks nursed their lead over the first 14 minutes of the second half
behind the scoring of Monteiro as USM limited LaRoche to just three points after
the intermission. Trailing by six (52-46), the Huskies got six straight points
from Francoeur (four) and Levecque to create the first of three ties (52-52 with
4:51 to play) within a two-minute span.
Monteiro and Levecque traded baskets to tie the game at 54-54. A Monteiro
basket and two Francoeur free throws followed to even the score at 56-56 with
2:43 to play. McKinnell's layup with 1:41 left gave USM its first lead since
early in the game.
Sophomore guard Quinn Fulcher (South Royalton, Vt.) and McKinnell combined
to make six of six free throws in the final 33 seconds to secure the victory.
Southern Maine returns to action Tuesday when it hosts Bowdoin College at
the Warren G. Hill Gymnasium starting at 7:30 p.m. St. Joseph's will travel to
Vermont to play Lyndon State College, also on Tuesday.
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Friday, November 28, 2003
(Courtesy of Colby Sports Information)
USM Huskies Fall to Colby Mules 83-64
Colby, Husson Advance to Championship Game at The Maine Event
WATERVILLE, Maine --- The Colby College men's basketball team exploded for
52 points in the first half on the way to an 83-64 victory over the University
of Southern Maine in the opening round of The Maine Event tournament on Friday
night at Wadsworth Gymnasium.
Colby (2-2) and Husson College (1-0) will meet in the title game Saturday
at 7 p.m. Husson took an 85-77 victory over St. Joseph's College in the other
opening round contest. Southern Maine (1-3) and St. Joseph's (1-3) will play in
the consolation game at 5 p.m.
Sophomore Michael Westbrooks (Dublin, Ireland) had 20 points, six rebounds,
four steals and three assists to pace Colby. Senior Matt Forlizzi (Danvers,
Mass.) added 19 points, while junior Patrick McGowan (North Attleboro, Mass.)
finished with 17 points and three assists.
Junior guard Derek Lovely (Oxford, Maine) came off the bench to score 12
points to lead the Huskies (1-3). Sophomore forward Bill Hardwick (Boothbay,
Maine) was the only other USM player in double figures with 10 points.
Sophomore forward Jesse McKinnell (Manomet, Mass.) added eight points and eight
rebounds.
Colby snapped a 6-6 tie on a Forlizzi layup four minutes into the game and
never looked back. The margin quickly grew to double digits before the Huskies
clawed back within nine on three occasions, the last at 34-25 on a jumper by
Hardwick with 5:48 left in the half. The Mules outscored the Huskies 18-7 down
the stretch to take a comfortable 52-32 advantage to the locker room.
Any thoughts of a USM comeback were dashed early in the second half as
McGowan, Westbrooks and Forlizzi sparked the Mules on a 19-4 run to open a
35-point lead (71-36) with 12 minutes to play. USM scored the next 13 points to
get back within 22, but would get no closer than 15 (79-64 with 0:44 to go) the
rest of the way.
Colby shot 25-for-32 from the foul line, including 17-for-19 in the first
half when the Mules opened up a 52-32 halftime lead. The Mules shot 45.6% from
the floor (26 for 57) while holding the Huskies to 37.9% shooting (22 for 58)
and forcing 26 turnovers.
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Tuesday, November 25, 2003
Huskies Upset Bates 62-60
GORHAM, Maine -- Junior guard Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) scored a
game-high 19 points, including 10 in the second half, to lead the University of
Southern Maine Huskies back from an eight-point halftime deficit and defeat the
Bates College Bobcats 62-60 Tuesday night in a non-conference game at the Warren
G. Hill Gymnasium.
The win was the first of the season for the Huskies, and new head coach Karl
Henrikson, who are 1-2 overall. Bates lost for the first time to fall to 2-1.
Trailing 36-28 at the break, the Huskies fell behind by 10 (45-35) when
senior guard Ramon Garcia (Haverhill, Mass.) hit his third straight basket for the
Bobcats with 17:02 to play. The Huskies responded with a 16-0 run over the next
seven minutes, taking their first lead of since 3-2 when Levecque hit a three-
point field goal with 12:50 remaining. A basket and free throw by sophomore
forward Jesse McKinnell (Manomet, Mass.) and another Levecque two-pointer gave USM
its biggest margin at 51-45 with 11:33 to go.
Bates clawed its way back within one (55-54) on a pair of free throws by
junior guard Victor Rivera (New York, N.Y.), and were within two on three
occasions in the final three minutes, but could not get tying basket. Junior
guard Brian Gerrity (Augusta, Maine) had an off-balance 15-footer at the buzzer to
tie, but the shot came up short.
Levecque connected on 7 of 11 shots from the floor, including a pair of
three-pointers, and 3 of 4 free throws for his 19 points. Junior forward Ryan
Garland (Hermon, Maine) added 10 points to be the only other USM player in double
figures. Junior forward Jay Casterella (Portland, Maine) had nine points and
grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.
Garcia paced the Bobcats with 14 points while freshman Rob Stockwell (Temple,
N.H.) finished with 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
Southern Maine will return to action Friday when its plays host Colby College
in the first round of The Maine Event at 7:00 p.m. Bates is off until December 2
when the Bobcats host the University of Maine at Machias.
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Monday, November 24, 2003
Jason Levecque Named Little East Conference Player of the Week
GORHAM, Maine -- Junior guard Jason Levecque of the University of Southern
Maine men's basketball team has been named the Little East Conference Player of
the Week for the opening week of the 2003-04 regular season. The announcement was
made be the conference office Monday afternoon.
This is the third time in his USM career that the 6-foot-2, 190-pound
Levecque (Westbrook, Maine/Westbrook HS) has been honored by the Little East
Conference as its Player of the Week.
Playing in the season-opening Trinity College Tip-Off Tournament, Levecque
averaged 29.0 points, 5.0 rebound and 5.0 assists while shooting .500 (20 of 40)
from the floor in a pair of losses.
In the opening game of the 2003-04 campaign against the host Trinity College,
Levecque poured in a career-high 39 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out
five assists. The 39 points equaled the fourth-highest single-game total in the
history of the USM men's basketball program. Trinity held on to win the game 86-
80.
The next afternoon against Ithaca College, he had a team-high 19 points with
three rebounds and five assists in an 81-72 loss at the hands of the Bombers.
Southern Maine will seek its first win of the season Tuesday night when it
plays its home opener against Bates College as part of a men's-women's
doubleheader at the Warren G. Hill Gymnasium on USM's Gorham campus. The women's
game starts at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men's contest at 7:30 p.m.
##################################################################################
Saturday, November 22, 2003
Ithaca Downs Southern Maine, 81-72 in Consolation Game
HARTFORD, Conn. - Sophomore forward Brian Andruskiewicz (Oakdale, Conn.)
scored a game-high 20 points to pace four players in double figures and lead the
Ithaca College Bombers to an 81-72 triumph over the University of Southern Maine
Huskies in the consolation round of the Trinity College Tip-Off Tournament on
Saturday afternoon.
Ithaca improved to 1-1 on the young campaign and will be idle until traveling
to Cornell on December 2. Southern Maine will take a 0-2 mark into its home opener
with Bates on Tuesday evening.
True to their nickname, the Bombers opened the contest by connecting on 22-
of-35 (.629) of their first half shots to build a 49-30 halftime advantage.
Southern Maine turned up the defensive pressure following the break and held
Ithaca to just seven baskets on 24 attempts (.292). The Huskies outscored the
Bombers by a 42-32 margin in the second half, but were unable to make up the final
nine points. Ithaca held a decided edge on the boards, outrebounding Southern
Maine by a 39-19 advantage.
Also scoring in double figures for Ithaca was Tyler Schulz (Monroe, N.Y.),
who struck for a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, junior Guard Jesse
Roth (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.), who added 17 points and six assists, and sophomore
guard Jim Bellis (Bloomfield, N.Y.), who added 11 points.
Southern Maine was led by junior Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine), who
tallied 19 points and dished out five assists, while junior Mike Francoeur
(Sommersworth, N.H.) added 13 points, and junior Jay Casterella (Portland, Maine)
and sophomore Bill Hardwick (Boothbay, Maine) contributed 10 points apiece.
In the championship game, sophomore forward and tournament MVP Tyler Rhoten
(Ridgewood, N.J.) notched a team-high 19 points and nine boards to lead the
Trinity College Bantams to a 73-50 win over the visiting DeSales University
Bulldogs.
Levecque and Schulz were both named to the all-tournament team along with
Rhoten, Trinity's John Halas, and DeSales' junior guards Mike Venafra (Belmont
Hills, Pa.) and Kyle Koch (Lehighton, Pa.).
##################################################################################
Friday, November 21, 2003
Jason Levecque Scores 39, Southern Maine Falls to Trinity, 86-80
HARTFORD, Conn. - Junior Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) equaled the
fourth-highest single-game total in school history with a 39-point effort, but the
University of Southern Maine Huskies suffered an 86-80 setback to the host Trinity
College Bantams in the opening round of the Trinity Tip-Off Tournament on Friday
night.
The game served as the season-opener for each team, and Southern Maine will
take a 0-1 record into tomorrow afternoon's consolation game with the Ithaca
College Bombers at 1:00 p.m. Trinity will advance to the championship game at 3:00
p.m., where they will face DeSales, which defeated Ithaca by an 81-56 margin in
tonight's other first round game.
Levecque, who connected on 15-26 field goals, including 3-8 three pointers
and 6-9 free throws, equaled the mark of 39 points scored by John Jordan against
UMaine Farmington on January 30, 1980. The Huskies also received 15 points from
sophomore Bill Hardwick (Boothbay, Maine) and 10 points and six assists from
junior Mike Francoeur (Somersworth, N.H.).
Trinity College was paced by sophomore forward John Rhoten, who tallied 28
points, and junior John Halas, who added 24 points.
Trailing 37-26 at the break, the Huskies outscored the Bantams by a 54-49
margin in the second half, when they connected on a sizzling 21-34 (.618) of their
field goal attempts. For the game, Southern Maine converted 32-58 (.552) field
goals, while limiting Trinity to 30-63 (.476). The Bantams won the game at the
foul line, where they made 21-25 (.840) free throws, while the Huskies made just
8-21 (.381). Trinity held a slight, 35-30 edge in rebounds.
##################################################################################
Thursday, November 13, 2003
Bigelow, Levecque Named USM Men's Basketball Captains
GORHAM, Maine -- Juniors Linc Bigelow (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) and Jason Levecque
(Westbrook, Maine) have been elected by their teammates as captains for the 2003-
2004 University of Southern Maine men's basketball team. First-year head coach
Karl Henrikson made the public announcement last week at the Huskies winter sports
media day.
Southern Maine will take on Trinity College as part of the Trinity Tip-Off
Tournament that begins a week from Friday (November 21-22). Ithaca College plays
DeSales University in the other first round game. The consolation and
championship games will be Saturday.
The Huskies return to the friendly confines of the Warren G. Hill Gymnasium on
November 25 for their home opener against Bates College.
"Both (Bigelow and Levecque) have demonstrated leadership qualities over the
last year or two. They're teammates look for them to step up and lead us to a
successful season. Both are good role models and communicate very well with their
teammates and the coaching staff," commented Henrikson, who takes over this season
from Dan Costigan who left after seven seasons.
Bigelow, a 6-foot, 170-pound guard, averaged 4.3 points and 1.4 rebounds in 25
games last season. He is a constant three-point shooting threat, making 28 of 76
tries (.368) from beyond the arc last winter.
"(Bigelow) is a quiet, intelligent leader who has done a great job as a
student-athlete. He plays hard everyday, and we know what to expect - 100% effort
and solid basketball knowledge," said Henrikson.
Levecque, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound guard, made an immediate impact last season
after transferring to USM from Keene State. He led the team and the conference in
scoring, averaging 23.7 points a game. He also led the Huskies in rebounding
grabbing 5.5 boards a game.
In addition to being the Co-Player of the Year in the LEC, he was named to the
All-Little East first team, the ECAC Division III New England second team, the
MCBCWA All-State first team, and the d3hoops.com All-Northeast third team.
"(Levecque) is a proven, quality basketball player. His teammates are proud of
him for winning (Co-)Player of the Year last year. He's a good person, and both
are very serious and care deeply about this team having success this season,"
responded Henrikson.
Henrikson, who compiled a 122-79 record in ten seasons (1989-98) at UMaine
Presque Isle, likes the progress his club has made through the first four weeks of
practice and looks forward to the start of the new campaign.
"I think they're adapting quiet well to what we want them to do," answered
Henrikson. "They're much more disciplined now than they were when we started
October 15. They're beginning to understand that to work hard is not just work
hard physically, but also to work hard mentally. We want them to see the game and
make good decisions out there."
The remainder of the Huskies 2003-04 schedule is as follows: Nov. 28-29, The
Maine Event at Colby College; Dec. 2, Bowdoin (7:30 p.m.); Dec. 6, at Eastern
Connecticut (3:00 p.m.); Dec. 13, Western Connecticut (3:00); and Dec. 30-31, at
the Grand Canyon Classic in Phoenix, Arizona.
Nine games make up the slate in January: Jan. 6, Colby (7:30); Jan. 8, at the
University of New England (7:30); Jan. 10, at Keene State (3:00); Jan. 13, Rhode
Island College (7:30); Jan. 17, at UMass Dartmouth (3:00); Jan. 20, at UMass
Boston (7:30); Jan. 24, Eastern Connecticut (3:00); Jan 27, Plymouth State
(7:30); and Jan. 31, at Western Connecticut (3:00).
The final month of the schedule includes Feb. 4, at St. Joseph's (7:30); Feb.
7, Keene State (3:00); Feb. 10, UMass Boston (7:30); Feb. 14, at Rhode Island
College (3:00); Feb. 17, at Plymouth State (7:30); and Feb. 21, UMass Dartmouth
(3:00).
The Little East Conference tournament begins February 24 with quarterfinal
round games. The semifinals and finals will be held February 27-28 with the
champion receiving an automatic berth into the 2004 NCAA Division III national
championship tournament.
The Huskies were 4-21 overall last season, including a 3-11 mark in the Little
East Conference.
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Tuesday, September 16, 2003
USM Names Karl Henrikson Men's Basketball Coach
GORHAM, Maine -- Karl Henrikson, the former men's basketball coach at the
University of Maine at Presque Isle and post-graduate boys' coach at Maine Central
Institute, has been named the new head men's basketball coach at the University of
Southern Maine. Al Bean, Director of Athletics at the University of Southern
Maine, made the announcement late Tuesday afternoon at a press conference
introducing Henrikson.
The 47-year-old Henrikson becomes the university's 15th men's basketball
coach, succeeding Dan Costigan who resigned from the position in August after
seven seasons to pursue a private business opportunity with the newly created
Hancock Sports Academy.
Southern Maine, 4-21 overall and 3-11 in the Little East Conference last
season, opens the 2003-2004 season November 21-22 at the Trinity College
(Hartford, Conn.) Tip-Off Tournament.
"It is a true pleasure to return to the University of Southern Maine after 25
years. I welcome the opportunity to guide the program to the level of success that
it enjoyed in the (late 1980's and) early 1990's," said Henrikson referencing the
era when the Huskies made four straight NCAA tournament appearances.
"Our immediate goal is to compete in every game we play and challenge for the
Little East Conference title. Our long term goal is to have an impact at the
national level," added Henrikson.
"Karl has a wealth of experience as an educator and coach and will be a
tremendous addition to our staff," Bean said. "In addition to his successful
college coaching experience at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, Karl has
worked at the professional level in Europe, spent three years developing and
mentoring some of the top talent in the nation at Maine Central Institute, and has
coached at the community college and high school levels.
"His experience and numerous contacts in the basketball world should serve
him well as he works to recruit top student-athletes to our program. Karl cares
very deeply about USM and about
the development of student-athletes. He understands the University and our
athletic philosophy, and is an excellent choice to lead our men's basketball
program in the years ahead."
Henrikson, a 1979 graduate of USM with a bachelor's degree in English, began
his coaching career as the men's basketball coach at Southern Maine Vocational
Technical College (South Portland, Maine), in 1978, and coached there for two
seasons before becoming the boys' basketball coach at Lincoln Academy (Newcastle,
Maine) in 1980.
He went to Springfield College in 1981 to begin work on his master's degree
and serve as a graduate assistant coach under Dr. Edward Bilik before returning to
Maine in 1982 as a teacher and boys' basketball coach at Mount Desert Island H.S.
He completed his master's in education in 1987.
After a five-year stint at M.D.I., Henrikson took over the boys' basketball
program at Edward Little H.S. (Auburn, Maine) for two years before being named the
men's coach at UMPI in 1989.
While at UMPI, Henrikson compiled a 122-79 record in 10 seasons. During that
span, he guided the Owls to a share of the Maine Athletic Conference regular
season title in 1994-95, and a spot in the conference tournament championship game
in the 1993-94 and 1995-96 seasons. His teams enjoyed seven winnings seasons, six
NAIA District Five playoff berths and an NAIA Top 25 ranking in 1994-95.
In 1998, Henrikson moved on to serve as the associate head coach of the
Namika Basketball Club in Lahti, Finland, for one year before taking over as the
head coach at M.C.I. In three seasons (1999-2002) at the Pittsfield, Maine, based
school, he had a 70-22 record.
A four-year basketball player at USM under former coach Joey Bouchard,
Henrikson tallied 262 points and grabbed 210 rebounds in 70 career games for the
Huskies. He was co-captain of the team in his senior season (1977-78).
##################################################################################
Wednesday, August 20, 2003
Dan Costigan Resigns as USM Men's Basketball Coach
GORHAM, Maine -- Dan Costigan, head men's basketball coach at the University
of Southern Maine for the past seven seasons, has resigned from that position,
effective immediately, to pursue a private business opportunity. USM Director of
Athletics Al Bean accepted Costigan's resignation following a meeting Sunday
(August 17) evening.
Costigan was named the interim head men's basketball coach in July 1996 after
Al Sokaitis left USM to take the head coaching position at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks. Costigan was named the permanent head coach in March 1997.
In his seven seasons as head coach of the Huskies, Costigan guided his teams
to a 56-119 record. The Huskies enjoyed their best seasons under Costigan's
direction during the 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 campaigns when the Huskies were 13-12
and 13-13 respectively. Costigan led the Huskies to the championship game of the
2000 Little East Conference tournament and was selected by his peers in the
conference as the Coach of the Year for the 1999-2000 season.
"It was a tough decision to leave great people who I consider to be my
friends. The opportunity for me and my family was just too great. I'll be able
to stay in basketball and work with and for some great people," Costigan said.
"It has been an interesting (seven years). From the first year, we've work
hard to get better and build this program. I like the shape the program is in and
will be its biggest fan."
Costigan will become the director of basketball operations at the newly
formed Hancock Sports Academy which plans to open sometime in September in a
temporary home in southern Maine. The Academy will be a year-round facility and
program that will concentrate on building individual skills, and will have all-
around program to help players maximize their potential. The venture is owned by
Matt and Kevin Hancock who played college basketball at Colby College and Bowdoin
College respectively, and who are part of the family that owns and operates
Hancock Lumber. Plans are in the works to construct a permanent home for the
Academy somewhere in southern Maine.
"It's difficult to see Danny leave our program. He is a person of great
character and has been a wonderful colleague for everyone in the department. He
has positively impacted the lives of many student-athletes and we will certainly
miss him at USM," commented Bean who indicated that an immediate search would
begin to find Costigan's permanent successor.
"Danny is a very committed husband and father, and it appears that he is
moving on to a new opportunity with tremendous growth potential. I want to thank
him for his hard work, commitment and for the many contributions he has made to
USM. I wish him all the best in his new endeavor and I have no doubt that he will
be successful," Bean added.
During his tenure, two of Costigan's players, Mike Fennessy (1999-2000) and
Jason Levecque (co-player of the year in 2002-2003), were named the Little East
Conference Player of the Year.
A 1985 graduate of the University of Maine, Costigan served as an assistant
coach under Sokaitis for two years (1991-93). He left USM to coach the Scarborough
(Maine) High School boy's varsity basketball team during the 1993-94 season. He
returned to USM as assistant men's basketball coach in 1994, and was appointed the
Huskies men's cross country and track head coach in 1995. He coached the
Scarborough boy's varsity team for four years (1987-91) prior to joining Sokaitis'
staff in 1991.
A three-sport, all-state performer at Cheverus High School (Portland, Maine),
Costigan was a state track champion in the 100 meter dash.
Costigan was a two-year basketball letterman at Maine playing for former head
coach Tom "Skip" Chappelle. He also lettered in football and track while at Maine.
He received a bachelor's degree in education, and earned his master's degree in
education in 1997 from the University of New England.
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