GORHAM, Maine – The UMass Dartmouth women's basketball team fell on the road against the University of Southern Maine on Wednesday afternoon during a Little East Conference (LEC) tilt by a final score of 81-54. The Corsairs move to 2-4 in conference play and 5-10 on the season while the Huskies secured their sixth consecutive league victory to improve to a 6-0 Little East mark.
The Huskies jumped out to a quick 4-0 edge before senior guard
Melanie DeMeo knocked down a triple to open the scoring for UMass Dartmouth. After sophomore guard
Elizabeth Gresian finished a layup, graduate student guard
Yasmine Santos scored the next six straight points for the Corsairs to gain an 11-8 lead over the Huskies. Southern Maine answered with a 7-0 run featuring a three-point shot by Liz Cote to take back a 15-11 advantage with 2:35 left in the quarter. DeMeo drained a pair of triples followed by a late three-point shot from senior guard
Cristina Negron to make it a one-point game at the end of the opening quarter.
First year guard
Carly McDonald kicked off the second quarter with a basket from behind the arc to make it 24-23 Huskies. Classmate
Amanda Ebenezer then finished a layup off the feed from McDonald to claim a 25-24 edge less than a minute into the quarter. Southern Maine quickly generated a 7-1 run that was capped off by another triple from Cote to go ahead 31-26. McDonald briefly disrupted the Huskies momentum with a layup before Southern Maine strung eight straight points together to grab an 11-point lead. Despite graduate student guard
Kaila Pruitt sinking a pair of three-point shots, the Huskies held on to a 41-34 advantage heading into halftime.
After Pruitt finished two good free throws for the Corsairs, Gresian drilled a three-pointer off the assist from senior guard
Kasey Oliver to make it a 46-39 game. After Southern Maine went on a 6-0 run to take a 52-39 edge with 3:47 on the clock, Pruitt drained two jump shots to eclipse double digits. The Huskies closed out the third quarter with a 9-1 run to take a 61-43 lead into the final quarter of the game.
DeMeo powered the Corsairs offense early in the fourth with three good baskets, but the Huskies maintained a commanding 17-point advantage crossing the midway point of the quarter. Pruitt and Ebenezer each converted from the free throw in the last few minutes of action, however Southern Maine tacked on 11 more points to earn their sixth consecutive conference win by a final score of 81-54 from the Hill Gymnasium.
DeMeo finished the game with a team-high 15 points (6-14 FG, 3-6 3FG) to go along with three rebounds and one assist. Pruitt notched her second double figure performance of the year with 13 points (4-10 FG, 2-6 3FG, 3-4 FT) while also hauling in six defense boards and blocking one shot. Gresian posted seven points (3-6 FG, 1-2 3FG) in addition to four rebounds, two assists, and a team-high two steals. Santos wrapped up the afternoon with six points after going 3-for-7 from the field to go along with four boards, two assists, and one steal. Ebenezer snagged a career-high three rebounds against the Huskies while also matching her season-high of five points (1-2 FG, 3-4 FT).
UMass Dartmouth returns to LEC action on Saturday, January 17 hosting the Panthers of Plymouth State University for a 1:00 p.m. tipoff from the Tripp Athletic Center.
