BIDDEFORD, Maine  –  Junior Sean Jany (Westbrook, Maine) scored a game-high 42 points to lead three players in double-figures as the University of Southern Maine Huskies defeated the University of New England Noreasters 97-88 in a non-conference men's basketball game Wednesday night at Harold Alfond Forum.

Jany's 42 points are good for third in Southern Maine single-game records. Mike Fennessey holds the Huskies' record with 47 points against Plymouth State University on January 16, 1992.  Matt Donahue is second with 43 points against Eastern Connecticut on February 10, 1973.  With both teams playing in their season-opener, Jany's offensive outburst starts Southern Maine off at 1-0, while the Noreasters begin their 2017-2018 campaign at 0-1

Jany was 13-for-20 from the field, including 5-for-9 from three-point range.  The 6-7 forward added seven rebounds, two assists and three blocked shots.  Junior Bryon McMillian (Washington, DC/Takoma Academy) and freshman Devin Moultrie (Miami, Fla./Miami Killian) each had 12 points for the Huskies.  Junior Kevin Weisser (Windham, Maine) had six points and a game and career-high 16 rebounds.

UNE's Ryan Matthews had 14 points to pace the Noreasters, while Drew Muniz and Daron Hoges each had 10 points.  Hoges added seven rebounds. Matt Hobbs added nine points, seven rebounds and two assists, while Drew Coveney had nine steals for UNE.

Trailing 37-36 with 2:19 left in the first half, Southern Maine narrowly outscored UNE 7-4 in the closing minutes of the opening stanza to take a slim 43-41 lead at the break.  Senior Christian McCue (Hampden, Maine/Hampden Academy) gave USM the lead late on a pair of free throws, while Jany also added a pair of free throws and McMillian had three points on a layup and a free throw. Jany scored 23 of his 42 points in the first half.

USM raced out to a 59-44 lead to open the second half outscoring UNE 16-3 in the first three minutes. Jany had 11 points in the run for the Huskies.  Despite the large lead, UNE fought its way back into the game, and trailed by just four points 92-88 with 1:36 to play after a three by Hoges. However, USM was able to close out the game as McMillian, McCue, senior Cam Scott (Hampden, Maine/Hampden Academy), and Weisser each converted from the free throw line for a 9-0 run to seal the win.  Scott finished with nine points, four rebounds, and five steals in a solid all-round game, while McCue had nine points and three rebounds.

Southern Maine shot 45.0 percent (27-for-60) from the field, including a blistering 57.7 percent (15-for-26) in the second half.  The Huskies drained 10 three-pointers in the game, led by five from Jany. UNE shot 29.1 percent from the field (30-for-103), and hit 15 threes on 76 attempts.

Southern Maine takes on Coast Guard at the Coaches vs. Cancer Tip-Off Classic on Saturday (8:00 p.m.). 

–cac–