BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Junior point guard Meghan Gribbin (Windham, Maine) scored 13 of her game-high 15 points before halftime to help the University of New England to a 36-25 lead, and the Nor'easters cruised in the second half for a 66-50 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) women's basketball win over Nichols College Saturday afternoon (Feb. 14) at the Harold Alfond Forum.

The Nor'easters (19-4, 15-1 CCC), who came into the contest with a one-game lead over Roger Williams University in the conference standings, have now won 11 consecutive meetings with Nichols (6-17, 3-13). UNE pushed its regular-season homecourt winning streak over CCC opponents to 42 games.

Gribbin made all three of her 3-point attempts and each of her four free throw attempts en route to her 15 points. She added five assists. Sophomore center Alicia Brown (Greenland, N.H.) had 13 points and three blocked shots, while senior forward Kelly Coleman (Portland, Conn.) added 12 points. Junior guard Lauren Hayden (Chantilly, Va.) collared eight rebounds and came up with five steals, and sophomore forward Brooke Flaherty (Portland, Maine) scored nine points and grabbed five boards off the bench.

Senior guard Amber Litwinko (Berlin, Conn.) led the Bison with 12 points and a game-best nine rebounds. She also chipped in five assists and three steals. First-year forward Brooke Packard (Dudley, Mass.) scored 11 points and senior Sarah Whitestone (Dalton, Mass.) nine.

With the score tied at 12 less than eight minutes into the game, UNE went on a 17-4 run over the ensuing 8:10 to establish a 29-16 advantage. Gribbin scored the final eight points of the spurt -- including a pair of treys -- to help Big Blue open up its cushion.

The Nor'easters would go on to lead 36-25 at intermission, shooting 52.2 percent (12 of 23) from the floor and 62.5 percent (5 of 8) from beyond the arc.

UNE maintained a double-digit advantage the entire second frame, with the lead fluctuating between 11 and 19 points.

For the game, the Nor'easters shot 44.7 percent (21 of 47), compared to 32.1 percent (17 of 53) accuracy for the Bison. UNE also held a 41-28 margin on the backboards.

Both teams return to play Tuesday with CCC home games. Nichols hosts Eastern Nazarene College at 7:30 p.m., while the Nor'easters will be in search of their seventh consecutive 20-win season when Curry College comes to the Alfond Forum for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.