First-year Beth Suggs was one of two UNE players to record a double-double, with 13 points and 10 rebounds
Box Score
BIDDEFORD, Maine -- All five starters and a total of six players scored in double figures as the University of New England pulled away late for a 72-55 win over the University of Southern Maine in non-conference women's basketball action Tuesday evening at the Campus Center.
The victory was just the second all-time for the Nor'easters (2-0) in 37 meetings with the Huskies and snapped an eight-game winless streak against USM. Southern Maine, ranked No. 13 in the D3hoops.com preseason poll, lost its season-opener for the first time since 1989.
Trailing 8-7 just over three minutes into the contest, UNE went on an 11-2 run over the next 5:20 to grab an eight-point lead midway through the period (18-10). Sophomore
Margo Russell (Madison, Maine) tallied the first five points of the spurt.
The Huskies battled back with a 14-3 flurry of their own to take a 24-21 lead with 6:29 left.
Back-to-back three-pointers by
Lyndie Libby (Buxton, Maine) restored the Nor'easters' advantage -- one they would not relinquish. UNE took a 37-33 edge into the break.
The Nor'easters' advantage fluctuated between one and seven points over the initial portion of the second frame, and UNE held a three-point cushion (49-46) with 9:15 to go.
A 14-4 run over the next 4:10 brought the lead up to double-digits (63-50) and put the game out of reach.
The Nor'easters out-rebounded their opponents by a 51-29 margin in the victory.
Russell and first-year
Beth Suggs each recorded double-doubles for hosts, going for 14 and 13 points, respectively, while pulling down 10 boards apiece. Sophomore
Kelley Paradis (Newport, Maine) went for 11 points, senior
Katie Diggins (Merrimack, N.H.) contributed 10 and eight caroms, and Libby added 10.
Sophomore
Kari Pelletier (South Paris, Maine) notched 10 points and dished out six assists for the Nor'easters, who take on SUNY Cobleskill Friday (5 p.m.) at the Keene State College Tournament.
For Southern Maine, which shot just 16.7 percent (5-for-30) from the field in the final stanza, first-year Curran Leighton (Dover, N.H.) scored a game-high 18 points. Senior Haley Johnson (West Simsbury, Conn.) had eight points, eight rebounds, and four steals in support.
The Huskies travel to the UMaine Farmington Tip-Off Tournament Friday and will square off against Curry College in the opening game.
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