BRUNSWICK, Maine - Chris Pagentine scored a game-high 18 points off the bench and Corteze Isaac nailed three free-throws with three seconds remaining to lift the University of Southern Maine men's basketball team to their first win over Bowdoin since 1998, 70-68. The Polar Bear suffer their first loss of the season and drop to 3-1. The Huskies improve to 5-1 overall on the season.

Pagentine nailed all four three-pointers he tried in 28 minutes of play while Isaac connected on three from long-distance to finish with 16 points. Bowdoin's Will Hanley scored 18 with seven boards for the hosts while Ryan O'Connell and Tom Carter finished with 13 apiece.

Southern Maine never trailed in the first period and carried a 43-32 lead into intermission after scoring 17 second-chance points in the opening stanza. Bowdoin bounced back with a 9-0 run out of the locker room and cut the lead to a single point on four occasions in the second half before finally going ahead in the closing moments.

With Southern Maine at the line, holding a 67-66 lead with 14 ticks remaining, Sean Bergeron missed the front-end of a one-and-one and Bowdoin's O'Connell was fouled on the rebound. O'Connell coolly netted both free throws to give the Polar Bears their first lead of the game, 68-67. With the clock winding down, Isaac carried the ball downcourt and had the ball knocked loose. After a brief scramble, Isaac tossed a desperation three-point attempt toward the goal and Bowdoin's Justin Nowell was called for a foul, sending USM's senior captain to the line for three shots with just three seconds left.

Cortez hit all three freebies to give USM a 70-68 lead. Bowdoin's halfcourt three at the buzzer hit the rim as the Huskies clung to victory.

It is USM's first win over Bowdoin since the December 1, 1998 and breaks a string of 11 straight losses to the Polar Bears.