Box Score GORHAM, Maine – Five players contributed points during a 21-3 scoring run that sparked the Eastern Connecticut State University men's basketball team to a 20-point lead 12 minutes into action and the Warriors rolled to their 24th straight Little East Conference regular-season victory, 74-46, over the University of Southern Maine Saturday afternoon at Warren Hill Gymnasium.
Playing only its fourth game this season on its opponent's home court, Eastern (13-3, 5-0 LEC) shot nearly 60 percent (59.4) and held Southern Maine (3-12, 0-5 LEC) below 30 percent (26.9) in racing to a 28, 47-19 halftime lead in defeating the Huskies for the 12th time in the last 13 meetings. By winning for the fifth time in their last six contests, the Warriors maintain a one-game lead over Keene State College and Rhode Island College. Eastern was the only road team to win Saturday among four LEC games.
Leading by two points early, Eastern went on a 21-3 rampage over eight minutes, forcing seven USM turnovers and getting points from five different players as the Huskies missed eight of nine shots from the floor in that stretch. Eastern reshman guard Tarchee Brown (Rockville) tossed in 16 of his game total of 18 points in the first half, netting consecutive three-point field goals and contributing two steals during that decisive run.
In that first half, Eastern scored 12 points off 11 Southern Maine turnovers and five players combined to shoot 73.1 percent from the floor (19-for-26). Brown was 6-for-9, junior guard Kevin Leumene (Stamford) 4-for-5, senior forward Brandan Yarborough (Stamford) 3-for-4 and junior guard Michael-Thomas Sciro (Westerly, RI) 4-for-4. Brown and Sciro combined to connect on seven of eight three-pointers in the opening 20 minutes.
Behind Brown, Leumene, Sciro and sophomore forward Hugh Lindo (Enfield) all contributed 11 points in the game, with Brown also leading the Warriors with seven rebounds, Lindo six and junior guard Trachone Preston (Enfield) a game-high five assists.
Eastern visits Keene State College in a conference game Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
