The win extends Southern Maine's win streak to 14 and improves its record to 14-0 overall and 4-0 in the conference. Rhode Island College falls to 9-4 overall and 3-1 in the Little East Conference.

Garland did a bulk of her scoring from the free throw line sinking 14-of-15 attempts, including making a rare four-point play when she was fouled sinking one of her two three-pointers on the night.  Senior forward Jordan Grant (Concord, N.H.) added 17 points, six rebounds and three steals and sophomore forward Rebecca Knight (Alfred, Maine/McAuley) added 12 points and five rebounds. Senior guard Haley Jordan (Falmouth, Maine) had 10 points and four rebounds.

Freshman guard Danielle LeBlanc (Warwick, R.I./Pilgrim) led RIC with 17 points, including a 5-for-9 effort from three-point range.  Senior forward Courtney Burns (Rockland, Mass._ added 16 points and four assists, while junior guard Cara Paladino (Arlington, Mass./Arlington Catholic) tossed in 10 points.

Ahead by five at the half, 35-30, thanks in part to 11 first-half points from Grant, Southern Maine quickly extended its lead to 10 points, 40-30, to open the second half on a three from Jordan and a fast break layup from Knight.  

The Huskies led 49-38 with 14:39 to play on a jumper from Knight, before RIC rallied to pull to within four on a 7-0 run.  Senior guard Ashley O'Dell (Lincoln. R.I.) scored all five of her points in the run as RIC trailed the Huskies 49-45 with 13:27. USM's Garland halted a run converting a layup off of a feed from Knight on the Huskies' next possession and both teams settled into a back and forth battle for the next four and half minutes.  

A jumper from Burns had the Anchormen trailing USM 58-50 with 9:01 to play, but USM junior guard Nash Biliew (Portland, Maine) was fouled while attempting a three and sank all three free throws to put the Huskies ahead by 11, 61-50, with 8:47 on the clock. RIC again bounced back to make it a two-possession game with a quick 5-0 spurt, capped by a three from LeBlanc for a 61-55 USM lead, but the Huskies countered with an 11-2 run. Garland scored six of USM's 11 points in the run, including her four-point play, as the Huskies led 72-57 with 4:58 to play.

USM maintained a double-digit lead and led 74-63 with 2:53 to play, before LeBlanc pulled her team to within five, 74-69, with back-to-back threes with 1:59 remaining, but the Huskies closed out the game outscoring RIC 9-2, including a 5-for-6 effort at the free throw line in the final minute of play.

Southern Maine travels to UMass Dartmouth on Saturday (1:00 p.m.) for a Little East Conference game. Rhode Island College remains in LEC action on Saturday (1:00 p.m.) hosting Keene State.

–cac–