With the win, Southern Maine earns the season sweep over UMass Boston and improves to 21-1 and 10-1 in the Little East Conference. UMass Boston drops its second straight LEC game to fall to 12-9 overall and 4-7 in the LEC.
All five starters reached double-figures for the Huskies led by Garland's 23 points. The 5-7 shooting guard was 7-for-12 from the field, including six three-point field goals. She added a game-high five steals. Junior guard Erin McNamara (West Newbury, Mass./Pentucket Regional) added 15 points, six assists and two steals. Seniors Haley Jordan (Falmouth, Maine) and Jordan Grant (Concord, N.H.) each tossed in 14 points while Jordan racked up a double-double with a team-high 10 rebounds. Sophomore forward Rebecca Knight (Alfred, Maine/McAuley) added 11 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots.
Freshman forward Olivia Murphy (Canton, Mass.) and sophomore Kirsten Morrison (North Reading, Mass.) each posted double-doubles to pace the Beacons. Murphy had 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Morrison added 16 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore guard Lauren Perra (Taunton, Mass.) added 10 points and a game-high seven rebounds.
After holding a modest 37-31 lead at the break, Southern Maine took a commanding 20-point, 55-35, lead with 12:51 remaining in the second half. The Huskies held the Beacons to just four points in the opening seven minutes of the second half while busting out an 18-4 run. Back-to-back three-pointers from Jordan and Garland opened the half as all five starters scored at least two points in the pivotal run.
The Huskies maintained a comfortable 59-43 following a jumper from Knight with 10:30 on remaining, before the Beacons rallied with an 11-0 run to pull themselves to within two possessions 59-54 with 8:42 to play. Perra and freshman guard Meghan Agger (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) did all the scoring for the Beacons. Perra had a three and a jumper while Agger knocked down two of her three three-pointers.
USM responded to the UMass Boston threat with a 6-2 mini-run capped by a three from McNamara to take a more comfortable 65-56 with 6:26 to play and the Beacons never got any closer than six points the rest of the way.
Southern Maine remains in LEC action and travels to Rhode Island College on Saturday (1:00 p.m.). UMass Boston travels to Suffolk University on Thursday (5:30 p.m.) for a non-conference game.
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