SALEM, Mass. – Senior forward Courtney Cochran (Waite, Maine/Woodland) and junior forward Haley Jordan (Falmouth, Maine) combined to scored 54 points to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 74-60 win over the Salem State University Vikings in a non-conference women's basketball game Tuesday night at Twohig Gymnasium in Salem, Mass.
With the win, Southern Maine improves to 5-3 on the season and earns its first win on the road. With their second loss in as many games, the Vikings fall to 2-4.
Cochran and Jordan each recorded double-doubles and established new career-scoring highs in a dominant performance. Cochran finished with 29 points and 18 rebounds, while Jordan added 25 points and 10 rebounds. Senior guard Nicole Garland (Portland, Maine/Deering) chipped in with 11 points.
With the score tied at 17-17 with 12:11 to play, Southern Maine took control of the game closing out the half by outscoring the Vikings 23-9 to lead 40-26 at the break. Jordan and Cochran controlled the tempo for the Huskies combining for 32 of the Huskies 40 first half points. Cochran had 16 points and eight rebounds in the half, while Jordan had 16 points and six rebounds.
Salem State opened the game on a tear sinking three straight three-pointers and led 9-2 in the early moments of the game, but the Vikings red hot shooting cooled as they finished the half making just 9-of-37 from the field (24.3 percent).
USM opened the second half on a 12-5 run in the first 3:27, to open up a 52-32 lead. Salem State battled back to within 15, 52-37, with a 5-0 mini-run with 15:38 to play, but Cochran scored four straight points on consecutive baskets in the paint to push the lead back to 19, 56-37 with 14:42 to play.
The Vikings again pushed back against Southern Maine trimming their deficit to 13, 61-48, on a traditional three-point play from freshman Rachael Carter (Merrimack, N.H.), but the Huskies answered with seven straight points, including five from Garland to control the game 68-48 with 8:08 on the clock.
Salem State never got any closer than the final margin the rest of the way as the Huskies had the game in hand.
Southern Maine finished the game shooting 44.0 percent (28-for-63) from the floor and outrebounded the Vikings 54-43. Jordan was an outstanding 10-for-12 from the field. Carter led the Vikings with 17 points, five rebounds and five assists. Senior forward Breanna Comeau (Amesbury, Mass.) added 10 points.
Southern Maine travels to Western Connecticut on Saturday (1:00 p.m.) for a Little East Conference match. Salem State hosts Emmanuel College on Thursday (7:00 p.m.)
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