GORHAM, Maine  – Senior Rebecca Knight (Alfred, Maine/McAuley) scored a game-high 12 points to lead a balanced attack as the University of Southern Maine Huskies overcame a sluggish start to defeat the University of Maine at Farmington Beavers 81-42 in the opening game of the 2014 USM Tip Off Classic Saturday afternoon at Hill Gymnasium.

            With the win Southern Maine stands at 1-0 and advances to the championship game of the tournament.  The Huskies will face Bridgewater State at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday for the title.  Bridgewater State defeated Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) 75-71 this afternoon.  RPI will face UMaine Farmington in the consolation game on Sunday (1:00 p.m.). 

            Knight was 6-for-11 from the field for her game-high 12 points, grabbing six rebounds and passing off two assists.  Senior Stephanie Gallagher (York, Maine) and juniors Megan Pelletier (Winslow, Maine/Messalonskee) and Ella Ramonas (Portland, Maine/Deering) each scored 10 points.  Pelletier notched her first double-double of the season grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds. 

            Senior Bianca Soutamyer (Madison, Maine/Morse) led UMF with eight points as no player reached double-digits for the Beavers.  Freshman Kelly Pomerleau (Turner, Maine/St. Dominic Academy) and sophomore Bridget Humphrey (Jefferson, Maine/Erskine Academy) each had six points.

            Both teams struggled from the field in the early going and the Huskies help a slim three point advantage midway through the half.  A layup from Soutamyer at the 9:34 mark made it 15-12, keeping the Beavers within a possession of the Huskies, before USM closed out the half outscoring UMF 19-6 to take control of the game. Gallagher ignited the run, sinking a three at the nine-minute mark and Husky junior Jill Madden (North Andover, Mass.) capped it with a three.

            Stoutamyer scored the first bucket of the second half pulling UMF to within 13, 34-21, but the Huskies' countered with a 14-0 run to grab a 48-21 lead with 13:18 to play. Pelletier scored USM's first four points of the run, followed by a three-ball from Gallagher.  Ahead 41-21 with 15:50 showing, senior Lauren Rousseau (Biddeford, Maine) scored five consecutive points on a running layup and a three-pointer before Knight finished a Rousseau assist for a 27-point USM lead. Rousseau finished the game with nine points and three assists.

            After the decisive run, UMF was unable to get closer than 25 points the rest of the way and trailed by as many as 40 points as the Huskies' cruised to the win.

             Southern Maine finished the game shooting 45.6 percent (31-for-68) from the field.  UMaine Farmington shot 23.7 percent (14-for-59) from the field.  

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