WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Trailing by six, 31-25, midway through the third quarter, the University of Southern Maine Huskies' women's basketball team outscored the nationally-ranked Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors 11-2 over the next 4:11 to seize a 36-33 lead en route to a 51-43 win in a Little East Conference women's basketball game Saturday afternoon at Francis C. Geissler Gymnasium.

Facing its third nationally-ranked team this season (Bowdoin, University of New England), Southern Maine improves to 3-4 overall and is 1-0 in the Little East Conference with the win.  Eastern Connecticut, ranked 23rd in the WBCA Coaches' Poll, falls to 0-1 in the Little East and 4-3 on the season.  The Warriors, who return three starters from last season's Little East Conference Championship team that advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, were picked to repeat as LEC Champions in the coaches' preseason poll.  ECSU's other two losses are to third-ranked Tufts and fourth-ranked Amherst.

Freshman Alexa Srolovitz (Montreal, Quebec/New Hampton) and senior Gretchen Anderson (Kittery Point, Maine/St. Thomas Aquinas) each scored 12 points to lead the Huskies.  Senior forward Megan Pelletier (Winslow, Maine/Messalonskee) added eight points.  Eastern Connecticut was led by 13 point from junior Jordyn Nappi (Southington, Conn./Mercy) and 10 points from senior Erin Brooks (Billerica, Mass./Billerica Memorial). 

Eastern Connecticut grabbed its 31-25 lead on a traditional three-point play from junior Julia DePoi (Brookfield, Conn.), before the Huskies rattled off six consecutive points to knot the score up at 31.  Sophomore Emily Nicholson (Quispasmis, New Brunswick/Kennebecasis Valley) hit a jumper, classmate Kayla Stacy (Auburn, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) came up with a steal and made one of two free throws and another sophomore Miranda Nicely (Farmington, Maine/Mt. Blue) converted a three-point play of her own with a layup and a free throw.

The Warriors stemmed the Huskies' rally with a pair of free throws, but USM closed out the quarter on a 5-0 run on a layup from Nicholson and a buzzer-beating three from Srolovitz to make it 36-33 in favor of USM.  Stacy assisted on both of the Huskies' final baskets in the quarter. 

ECSU pulled to within a point of USM early in the fourth quarter on a jumper from senior Danyelle Rodriguez (Willimantic, Conn./Windham); however, the Huskies responded with a 9-0 run over the next four minutes to lead 45-35 with 4:28 to play.  Srolovitz's layup was followed by a three-pointer from Stacy, and Pelletier connected on a bucket in the paint before Anderson capped the run with a layup.

The Huskies remained in front of the Warriors and led by 10, 49-39, with 1:59 on the clock after another Srolovitz basket, before ECSU made a run to trim its deficit to six on back-to-back layups from Brooks and Nappi.  However, Anderson closed the win out on the line as Anderson sunk a pair of free throws and then came up with a steal as time ran down for the 51-43 victory.

Southern Maine remains on the road and will face traditional rival Salem State University on Tuesday (7:00 p.m.). Eastern Connecticut will host non-conference opponent Westfield State on Tuesday (8:00 p.m.).

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