BOX SCORE

GORHAM, Maine -- The Bates College women's basketball team was dispatched easily by the University of Southern Maine Tuesday at Warren G. Hill Gymnasium. The host Huskies, ranked No. 3 in the country by d3hoops.com, were in control from the outset of the game and beat the No. 17 Bobcats 66-48.

USM (3-0) got 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor and 17 rebounds from forward Ashley Marble (Topsfield, Maine), and exhibited impressive depth down on through its roster.

The Huskies shot 56 percent from the floor in the first half and limited Bates (1-2) to 20 percent in that same timeframe, jumping out to a 36-17 lead by intermission. By the game's end, 14 Huskies had at least one rebound and 11 of them had scored, and USM held a dominant 59-31 edge in rebounds.

Marble’s 17 rebounds ties her career-high set in the Huskies' last matchup with Bates, in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Touranment. Senior guard Donna Cowing (Weeks Mills, Maine) was the only other USM player to score in double-figures as the Huskies had eight players score at least four points in the game.

Bates first-year forward Val Beckwith (Woburn, Mass.) scored a game-high 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting, but the rest of the team combined to shoot a woeful 11-for-62 from the floor, or 17.7 percent. Sophomore guard Sarah Barton (Portsmouth, N.H.) scored eight points and was credited with only one assist, eight below her average. Junior forward Katie Franklin (New Preston, Conn.) also scored eight points. Barton and senior center Annie Whiting (Contoocook, N.H.) tied for the team lead with five rebounds apiece.

Junior center Meg Coffin (Westford, Mass.) missed her third straight game for Bates. Coffin, who suffered muscle pain in her back dating to late in the soccer season, is expected to return to practice with the team next week.

The Bobcats return to action with their first home game of the season next Wednesday, Nov. 30, against Husson College.