GORHAM, MAINE 11/23/13  - The Keene State College women's basketball team did something on Saturday it's never done since joining the Little East Conference 16-years  ago – beat the University of Southern Maine at the Warren G. Hill Gymnasium.

The Owls (2-2, 1-0 LEC) finally got the better of USM on their home court, upsetting the 21st ranked Huskies in overtime 68-64 in the LEC opener for both teams.

The Hill Gymnasium has been a house of horrors for Keene State since it joined the LEC in the 1997-98 season.  The Owls lost 22 straight games, including LEC championship contests in 2005 and 2007 at the Hill Gym before getting the monkey off their back with Saturday's victory.  KSC is 5-35 overall against USM, with four of the wins coming at Spaulding Gym.

"We've come close a few times," said KSC Coach Keith Boucher.  "They could have hung their heads after the game was tied and went into overtime, but they settled down and went after the win. I'm real proud of them. 

The Owls won despite give up a large lead and struggling from the line in regulation, hitting just six of their 16 attempts (38%).   "If we make a few more free throws, the game doesn't get into overtime," said Boucher.  

The Owls, who outscored Southern Maine 10-6 in the extra session, redeemed themselves at the line in overtime, hitting six of their nine shots. 

Coming out on fire, Keene State scored the first nine points of the game and led by as many as 20 points (26-6) following a jumper by freshman Sam Murphy (Milford, Conn.) midway through the first half.

The Huskies started scratching their way back into the game, cutting the Owls lead to 13 points (38-25) at the break.  KSC maintained its lead late into the game, going up 54-39 on a three-poinert by junior Christan Wojtas (Amherst, N.H.) with 7:44 to play.

Southern Maine took advantage of the Owls' troubles at the line and turnovers to get back in the game. "We turned the ball over a lot and started to panic," said freshman Stephanie D'Annolfo (Tyngsborough, Mass.).  "And when we stopped turning over the ball, we couldn't make our shots and they eventually caught up"

USM scored the final nine points in regulation, tying the score 58-58 and sending the game into overtime. The Huskies had the ball with 16 seconds to play, but KSC's defense came up big.

"Coming out for the tap the Southern Maine players  were all smiling, looking  at all of our  young faces out there and thinking  they're going to roll over," said Boucher.  "But we got some big buckets and some big free throws and found a way to win the game."

 In overtime, freshman Amanda Petrow (Methuen, Mass.) hit a key conventional three-point play on a lay-up and free throw to put the Owls up 64-60 with 2:24 to play.  "Kelsey (Cognetta) gave me the ball and I just rolled to the basket," said Petrow.  "It was a huge basket for us."

The Owls finished off the Huskies at the line with D'Annolfo, freshman Sarah Kober (Easthampton, Mass.) and Cognetta hitting key free throws down the stretch.

The trio of Wojtas, D'Annolfo and Petrow each had 13 points in the game.  Kober had a season high 14 rebounds.  KSC had a 49-32 advantage on the glass.

Mariah Callender scored 14 points while Erin McNamara finished with 12 points, seven assists and four rebounds to lead Southern Maine (2-2, 0-1 LEC)

Keene State is at Trinity College on Tuesday (5:30 p.m.)