BANGOR, Maine  - Senior guard Chris Pagentine (Lexington, NC/North Davidson) scored a career-high 21 points to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 80-72 win over the Husson University Eagles in a non-conference men's basketball game Friday night at Newman Gym in Bangor, Maine.

         The win is the second straight for Southern Maine and improves its overall record to 2-0.  The Eagles drop their second game in as many contests to remain winless on the season. 

         Pagentine was 6-for-12 from the field and 7-for-8 from the free throw line to lead four players in doubles figures as the Huskies shot an outstanding 48.1 percent (25-for-52) from the field in the win.  Senior forward Jeremy Jackson (Laplace, La./Independence) recorded a double-double with 18 points and game-high 10 rebounds.  Jackson had a solid game on both ends of the floor chipping in with two assists, two blocked shots and three steals.  Senior guard Mike Poulin (Readfield, Maine/Maranacook) added 17 points and junior guard Alex Kee (Bath, Maine/Morse) tossed in 11 points off of the bench. 

         Sophomore guard Phil Leighton (Naples, Maine/Lake Region) and junior forward Wes Murphy (Norwich, Conn./Norwich Free Academy) each scored 13 points to lead the Eagles.  Junior guard Daeshawn McMorrin (Naugatuck, Conn./Bridgton Academy) and junior center Marc Zaharchuk (Richmond, Maine) each added 12 points. 

         Despite holding 16 point lead late in the first half, the Huskies found themselves in a close game heading into the second half leading the Eagles by just three points 40-37 at the break.  The Huskies led Husson 38-22 after a jumper from Poulin with 5:05 to play in the opening stanza before the Eagles stormed back to within three of USM with a 15-2 run to close out the half. 

         Husson pulled even with the Huskies on the first possession of the second half following a three-pointer from Murphy.  Jackson answered with a jumper to put the Huskies ahead by two, 42-40, with 19:00 remaining in the game and for the next seven minutes Southern Maine held off a charging Husson squad maintaining an uneasy one to four point lead. 

         Husson's Leighton pulled the Eagles to within a point of USM with a jumper at 13:27, but the Huskies answered back with a 10-0 run to grab a 61-50 lead with 10:23 to play.  Kee was the heart of the USM run, scoring eight of his 11 points in the outburst. 

         Husson pulled to within five points of Southern Maine twice over the final 10 minutes of play and trailed 68-63 with 3:39 to play on a Zaharchuk jumper, but USM countered with a 6-0 run – all from the free throw line – to pull ahead 74-63 with 2:22 remaining.  From there the Huskies held on for the win.   

         Southern Maine returns to action on Sunday (1:00 p.m.) in its home-opener against the UMaine Presque Isle Owls.  Husson hosts Bowdoin College next Sunday (4:00 p.m.). 

–cac–