(Courtesy USM Sports Information Department)

GORHAM, ME-Sophomore Tiffany Jones (Skowhegan, Maine) scored a team-high 13 points to pace four Huskies in double figures and the University of Southern Maine equaled a school record with its 22nd consecutive win by defeating the University of Massachusetts Boston Beacons 89-47 in the opening round of the Little East Conference Tournament on Tuesday night at the Hill Gym.

The Huskies improved to 25-1 and will host this weekend’s semifinals and championship. Southern Maine will face UMass Dartmouth in Friday’s second semifinal game (8pm), while Eastern Connecticut will meet Rhode Island College in the first semifinal game (6pm). The two semifinal winners will advance to Saturday’s championship (4pm).

Southern Maine tied the program mark for consecutive wins established by the 1997-’98 team. UMass Boston concluded the year at 7-17.

Despite the final score, it was the Beacons who took the early lead. Senior Indya Mitchell (Weymouth, Mass.) drained a three-pointer off the opening tap to give UMass Boston a 3-0 lead just six seconds into the contest. However, Southern Maine responded with a 9-0 run to take control of the contest. A three-pointer from sophomore Katie Frost (Calais, Maine) gave the Huskies the lead for good at 4-3 with 17:35 to play. Senior Jen Webster (Braintree, Mass.) closed out the run with a lay-up to give Southern Maine a 9-3 advantage at 15:24.

Sophomore Elmina Darville (Randolph, Mass.) drained a pair of free throws to halt the Southern Maine run and pull the Beacons within 9-5 with 15:12 to play, but UMass would pull no closer the remainder of the contest.

Southern Maine responded with a 14-4 run to forge a 23-9 advantage on a lay up by sophomore Donna Cowing (Weeks Mills, Maine) at 9:35. After Denise Ridge (Milton, Mass.) pulled the Beacons to within 23-11 on a short jumper with 8:49 to play, the Huskies answered with a 15-2 run to put the game out of reach at 38-13 with 3:51 remaining.

Southern Maine took its largest advantage of the half at 45-16 with 33 seconds to play on a lay up by Marybeth Pariseau (South Burlington, Vt.). A single free throw from Mitchell with 10 seconds left accounted for the halftime score of 45-17.

The teams exchanged free throws and baskets through the opening 10 minutes of the second half, before Southern Maine went on a 10-0 run to build a 73-35 advantage with 8:08 to play. The Beacons trimmed the deficit to 79-47 on a single free throw from freshman Erin Towne (East Taunton, Mass.), with 3:11 to play, but the Huskies closed out the game with a 10-0 run.

The Huskies enjoyed a balanced attack that saw all 12 players in uniform register at least two points. Webster and sophomore Meg Myles (Turner, Maine) contributed 12 points each, while Cowing added 10.

For the Beacons, Ridge finished with a game-high 14 points, and Mitchell and Darville added 11 points apiece.

Southern Maine connected on 24-50 (.480) field goal attempts, while holding the Beacons to 15-58 (.259). The Huskies also made 37-49 (.755) free throws, while the Beacons made but 13-20 (.650). Southern Maine held a 48-34 advantage on the glass.