Gorham, ME—Senior forward Corteze Isaac (Germantown, MD) scored a game-high 27 points to lead four players in double figures as the University of Southern Maine Huskies defeated the Rhode Island College Anchormen 95-88 in a Little East Conference men's basketball game Tuesday night at Hill Gym.

The Huskies (9-5, 1-3 LEC) snap an 11-game losing streak to the Anchormen (8-4, 3-1 LEC) with their first league victory.

 Isaac, who scored 18 of his 27 points in the second half, was 8-for-20 from the field.  Senior forward Otis Smith (Altamonte Springs, FL) added 21 points and a game-high nine rebounds, while senior guard Devin Chambers (Memphis, TN) and junior forward Sean Bergeron (Kennebunk, ME) each added 13 points.  Bergerson also had five rebound and four steals. 

Senior guard Antone Gray (Providence, RI) led RIC with 17 points and eight assists. Senior forward Carl Lee (Warwick, RI) had 16 points, on seven-for-nine shooting, to go along with three rebounds and three assists.

 Junior forward Mason Choice (Newport, RI) had 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals, while classmate center Mike Akinrola (Woonsocket, RI) contributed 15 points and five boards.

 With USM clinging to a narrow 37-33 lead at the break, the game continued to be a back and forth battle in the second half. Neither team led by more than three points in the first 10 minutes of the second half.  

  Following a three from Isaac with 9:38 to play, USM grabbed its largest lead of the second half, only to see it quickly trimmed to a single point, 60-59, on a three-point play from Akinrola who scored on a fast break lay-up on a full court assist from Gray. Spaulding) and a three-pointer from Smith to lead 66-59 with 8:34 to play.

 The Huskies responded to the RIC pressure however and scored six straight points on a traditional three-point play from senior forward Todd Forcier (Gonic, NH).

 RIC answered back with a three from sophomore guard Tahrike Carter (Brooklyn, CT), but the Huskies continued to come up with big shots as Smith sank his second straight three-pointer from the left side for a 69-62 USM lead with 7:20 to play. 

 From there RIC never got any closer than four points the rest of the way as USM received timely scoring from Isaac and Smith down the stretch.

 RIC shot 50 percent (33-for-66) from the field and only turned the ball over 12 times. USM shot 49 percent (32-for-66) and turned the ball over 15 times. The hosts held the advantage, 40-33, on the glass.

In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will travel to Colby on Thursday, Jan. 13.