GORHAM, ME - Freshman guard Zach O'Brien (Schenectady, NY) scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds - both game and season highs - to lead Saint Joseph's College (3-1) to a 72-55 win over the University of Southern Maine (1-4) in non-conference men's basketball action Sunday night at Hill Gymnasium in Gorham, Maine.

With the win St. Joe's secures the Costello Cup, presented to the winner of the annual contest between the two schools. Contested over the last 20 years, the Costello Cup honors former USM Athletic Director and Coach Richard "Doc" Costello. St. Joseph's now leads the cup series 11-8.

O'Brien was one of three Monks in double-figures scoring. O'Brien was an outstanding 8-for-12 from the floor including 2-for-3 from three-point range. Junior forward Ray Eatmon (Huntington, NY) and sophomore forward Chris Davis (New York, NY) each chipped in with 12 points a piece as the Monks shot a torrid 49.2 percent (29-for-59) from the field.

Southern Maine freshman guard Otis Smith (Altamonte Springs, FL) led the Huskies with 17 points in his collegiate debut, sinking 6-of-9 from the floor. Junior guard Greg Whitaker (Presque Isle, ME) was the only other USM player in double figures, tossing in 12 points on a 5-for-8 mark from the field.

Led by nine points each from O'Brien and senior forward Mitch Ouellet (Fort Kent, ME) the Monks took a commanding 41-27 lead at the half. Saint Joseph's shot 53.1 percent (17-for-32) from the field in the opening stanza, including four three-point field goals. Conversely, the Huskies struggled to hit their marks shooting a sub-par 36.7 percent (11-for-30) from the field. The Monks continued to click offensively in the second half taking a 20-point, 55-35, lead midway through the half and leading by as many as 21 points with just over five minutes to play en route to the win.

The Monks also enjoyed a decisive 41-27 advantage on the boards led by O'Brien's eight caroms. Ouellet and Davis each grabbed six rebounds, while senior guard Scot Vachon (Schenectady, NY) and junior guard Alberto Rue (Jamaica Plain, MA) both snagged five.

The Monks will host GNAC rival Norwich University on Wednesday, December 3rd at 6:00 PM while the Huskies return to action on Tuesday at 5:30 PM when they travel to Bowdoin College to tangle with the Polar Bears.


Newspaper Box Score
St. Joseph's (Me.) vs Southern Maine
11.30.08 7:00 p.m. at Gorham, Maine; Hill Gymnasium
At Gorham, Maine; Hill Gymnasium
ST. JOSEPH'S (ME.) 72, SOUTHERN MAINE 55
ST. JOSEPH'S (ME.) (3-1)
Zach O'Brien 8-12 0-0 18; Ray Eatmon 6-9 0-0 12; Chris Davis 4-8 4-7 12;
Mitch Ouellet 4-4 0-1 9; Alberto Rue 3-8 2-2 8; Chris Petzy 2-10 0-0 5; Scot
Vachon 1-2 2-2 4; Tyler Kelley 1-6 0-0 3; Jay Tutwiler 0-0 1-2 1; Eric
Friend 0-0 0-0 0; Tom Ray 0-0 0-0 0; Bobby Russo 0-0 0-0 0; R. J. Mattison
0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-59 9-14 72.
SOUTHERN MAINE (1-4)
Otis Smith 6-9 4-6 17; Greg Whitaker 5-8 0-0 12; Andy Tracy 3-8 2-2 8; Kione
Morgan 2-6 0-0 5; Luke Pollock 2-4 0-0 5; Sean Bergeron 2-8 0-0 4; Kyle
Sanborn 1-2 0-0 2; Billy Zolper 1-5 0-0 2; Ethan Cushman 0-0 0-0 0; Will
Clemer 0-1 0-0 0; Andrew Pullen 0-0 0-0 0; Troy Jellison 0-5 0-0 0; Mike
Poulin 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 22-58 6-8 55.
St. Joseph's (Me.)............ 41 31 - 72
Southern Maine................ 27 28 - 55
3-point goals--St. Joseph's (Me.) 5-13 (Zach O'Brien 2-3; Mitch Ouellet 1-1;
Chris Petzy 1-3; Tyler Kelley 1-2; Alberto Rue 0-3; Chris Davis 0-1),
Southern Maine 5-16 (Greg Whitaker 2-2; Kione Morgan 1-3; Otis Smith 1-2;
Luke Pollock 1-3; Billy Zolper 0-2; Troy Jellison 0-1; Sean Bergeron 0-2;
Andy Tracy 0-1). Fouled out--St. Joseph's (Me.)-None, Southern Maine-None.
Rebounds--St. Joseph's (Me.) 41 (Zach O'Brien 8), Southern Maine 27 (Andy
Tracy 6). Assists--St. Joseph's (Me.) 14 (Scot Vachon 4), Southern Maine 11
(Troy Jellison 4). Total fouls--St. Joseph's (Me.) 6, Southern Maine 12.
Technical fouls--St. Joseph's (Me.)-None, Southern Maine-None. A-264
Costello Cup: St. Joseph's College wins the 2008 Costello Cup and has a 11-8
record in the series.


COURTESY OF SOUTHERN MAINE SPORTS INFORMATION