BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England had all five of its starters score in double digits, as the Nor'easters cruised to a 77-63 victory over Endicott College in a Commonwealth Coast Conference game played Saturday afternoon (Dec. 6) at the Harold Alfond Forum.

UNE, ranked 20th in this week's D3Hoops.com national poll, ups its record to 5-1 on the season, 2-0 in conference play. The Gulls dropped back to the .500 mark both overall (3-3) and in CCC play (1-1). The Nor'easters have now won six consecutive meetings with Endicott and are 21-11 in the all-time series.

Senior Kelly Coleman (Portland, Conn.) paced the Nor'easters with 17 points on 8-for-14 shooting. She finished a rebound shy of a double-double with nine, including four on the offensive glass. Junior Meghan Gribbin (Windham, Maine) had 13 points, eight boards and four assists. She was 6 of 7 at the free throw line. Classmate Lauren Hayden (Chantilly, Va.) chipped in 12 points, six rebounds, three steals and three assists, while juniors Sadie DiPierro (South Portland, Maine) and Alanna Vose (Cushing, Maine) scored 11 points apiece.

Junior Kelsey Cuddy (Madison, Conn.) played a strong game for the Gulls, leading all scorers with 20 points. She also contributed seven rebounds, six assists, four blocked shots and a pair of steals. Junior Nicole Catizone (Woburn, Mass.) tallied 18 points, including four 3-pointers. Senior Kayleen Whall (Foxboro, Mass.) grabbed a team-high eight caroms to go with nine points.

Leading 12-10 five minutes into the game, the Nor'easters took control with a 12-2 run over the ensuing 3:04. Vose initiated the spurt with back-to-back treys, Gribbin had a layup and free throw, then Hayden capped the outburst with a three-ball.

The Gulls got back to within four (30-26) on a Cuddy conversion down low at the 7:43 mark, but UNE reeled off 10 straight points to regain momentum. 

Big Blue would lead 44-32 at intermission, thanks in large part to 50 percent (16 of 32) shooting from the floor.

The Nor'easters opened the second frame with an 11-3 start to forge a 20-point cushion. Up by 21 (54-43) with 9:51 on the clock, UNE saw its bulge reduced to nine (65-56) as the Gulls  over the next four minutes. Coleman knocked down a jumper with 4:59 to get Big Blue's lead back up to double digits, and the Nor'easters would maintain a lead of 10 or more the rest of the way.

UNE shot 45.3 percent (29 of 64) for the contest while earning a 46-30 margin on the glass. Endicott knocked down 12 shots from beyond the arc to account for more than half of its offensive output.

The Gulls return to action Tuesday when they play at Eastern Nazarene College in a 5 p.m. start. The Nor'easters are idle until after the holidays when they travel to Lewiston Jan. 3 to take on Bates College (2 p.m.).