GORHAM, Maine—After an even first half, the #13 University of Southern Maine (16-0, 6-0 Little East) used runs of 13-4 and 16-3 to run by the Beacons (10-6, 2-4 Little East) 70-54 at Hill Gymnasium.

Jordan Grant led the Huskies charge with 13 of her game-high 21 points in the second half including a 7-for-7 performance from the free throw line. Three other Southern Maine players joined Grant in double-digits, as the Huskies moved to 10-0 at home this season. 

Freshman Olivia Murphy (Canton, Mass.) led the Beacons with her team-leading seventh double-double of the year, as she finished with a team-high 18 points and 11 rebounds. Murphy grabbed four offensive rebounds, recorded three blocks and went 6-for-7 from the charity stripe.

Teresa Pina (Boston, Mass.) was the only other UMB player to finish in double-digits, as she added 13 points, six rebounds and two steals. Freshman Meghan Agger (Sacco, Maine) chipped in with three points and a career-high seven rebounds in the Beacons third straight loss. 

Southern Maine led for the first 15:30 of the first half but the Beacons kept themselves within striking distance after falling behind 5-0. Lauren Perra (Taunton, Mass.) tied the game at 20 with a jumper and the Beacons took their first of two leads at 22-20, when Murphy knocked down a layup with 3:51 to play in the first half.

After Nicole Garland gave the Huskies a 26-24 lead with 1:08 to play, Pina evened the game going into the break with two of her first-half high 11 points.

Murphy came out firing in the second half, knocking down three of her first four shots to give UMass Boston a brief advantage at 33-31. But the Huskies would prove to be too much behind Grant and forward Rebecca Grant (14 points and nine rebounds).

With the Huskies clinging to a 36-34 lead with 17:10 to play, Knight and Grant combined to score all 13 Huskies points in a 13-4 run to extend the Southern Maine edge to 49-36 with 12:48 left.

UMass Boston would cut it to 54-57 on a Pina layup, but the Huskies answered right back with a 16-4 flurry, in which Grant and Knight scored 11 more. 

The Beacons will return to the friendly confines of the Clark Athletic Center Saturday at 1 p.m. when they look to earn a split with Western Connecticut State University.