GORHAM – The Southern Maine women’s basketball team used a balanced scoring attack to defeat Fitchburg State 65-54 in a second-round NCAA Division III tourney game Sunday.

With the win USM advanced to the NCAA’s Div. III sweet 16 for the seventh consecutive season and for the 18th time since USM moved to the NCAA in 1985.

USM beat Williams 68-62 in a first-round game on Saturday.

On Sunday, Stacey Kent scored a game high of 17 points, Ashley Marble had 14 points as well as rebounds, and Angela Santa Fe chipped in 12 points and 5 rebounds for USM.

For Fitchburg, Krystle O’ Brian scored 13 points and D’yana Delpero and Steph Payette each added 12.

On Saturday, Marble and Kent combined to score 46 points to lead USM by Williams.

Santa Fe added 7 points for USM.

Meghan Stetson scored 20 points for Williams.

(Sunday’s Game)

Fitchburg (26-3) 54

Fontaine 3-1-7, Delpero 4-1-12, Diana Doyle 2-0-6, O’Brien 6-1-13, Payette 5-1-12, Corbett, Ridge, Eogan, Donovan 3-0-6

USM (27-2) 65

Welch 2-0-5, Paradis 3-0-9, Marble 2-10-14, Kent 5-2-17, Santa Fe 5-2-12, Ross 2-0-4, Sibley, Samuelson 1-2-4

3-pt. goals: Delpero 3, Payette; Welch, Paradis 3, Kent 5

Halftime: Fitchburg 31-30

(Saturday’s Game)

Williams (20-7) 62

Stetson 7-5-20, Miller 818-17, Lorge 5-0-10, Peterman 2-0-6, Tildsley 3-0-6, Wilk 1-0-3, Savageau, O’Malley

Southern Maine (26-2) 68

Marble 8-9-26, Kent 4-8-20, Santa Fe 3-1-7, Samuelsonn 3-0-6, Paradis 1-2-4, Sibley 1-0-3, Ross 1-0-2, O’Tash, Wlech

3-pt. goals: Peterman, Wilk, Stetson; Kent, Sibley, Marble

Halftime: Southern Maine 35-27

Men’s basketball

Western NE 68, St. Joseph’s 62

At Springfield, Mass., Jim Bayne tallied a game-high 25 points and 13 rebounds as top- seeded Western New England College held on to edge No. 2 St. Joseph’s College in the ECAC New England Division III championship game.

Asif Abdul-Wadud added 11 points and 10 assists for the Golden Bears.

Elbie Murphy led St. Joseph’s College with 12 points. Chad Pulkkinen, Matt Plummer and Colby Emmons each added 10 points for the Monks.

St. Joseph’s (22-8) 62

Murphy 4-4-12, Alexander 4-0-9, Mileski, Vachon 2-0-4, Pulkkinen 4-0-10, Mattison 2-0-5, Eatmon 1-0-2, Plummer 2-5-10, Emmons 3-4-10

Western NE (22-8) 68

Fredette 3-0-7, Bayne 11-3-25, Champlain 1-0-2, Abdul-Wadud 4-3-11, Maynard 3-1-9, Hernandez 3-0-9, Stathakis, DeVine, Thomas 2-1-5

3-pt. goals: Alexander, Pulkkinen 2, Mattison, Plummer; Fredette, Maynard 2, Hernandez 3

Halftime: St. Joseph’s 28-25

St. Joseph’s 76, Curry 67

At Standish on Saturday, Saint Joseph’s men’s basketball team defeated No. 6 Curry College in an ECAC semifinal.

Chad Pulkkinen scored 22 points for the Monks, Elbie Murphy had 15 and Raymond Eaton added 10.

Stephen Prescod added 20 points for Curry.

Curry (16-14) 67

Prescod 7-5-20, Jones 5-2-13, Brittian 3-4-10, Bowers 7-0-16, Lamarre, Mastrullo 2-3-8, Williams, Robbins

St. Joseph’s (22-7) 76

Vachon 1-0-2, Murphy 5-3-15, Pulkkinen 7-2-22, Alexander 1-1-3, Mileski 2-0-4, Mattison 2-1-6, Eatmon 5-0-10 Castor, Plummer 3-2-9, Emmons 2-1-5, Ouellet

3-pt. goals: Presscod, Jones, Bowers 2, Mastrullo; Murphy 2, Pulkkinen 6, Mattison, Plummer

Halftime: St. Joseph’s 41-22

Hesser 77, SMCC 74

At South Portland, Hesser College came from behind with two minutes remaining to beat Southern Maine Community College in the USCAA national tourney.

Harold Reynoso led Hesser College with 21 points while Kevin Wilson added 20 for the Blue Devils.

James Liebowitz netted 17 points to pace Southern Maine CC. Mike Worster posted 13 points while Chris Banks chipped in with 12 for the Seawolves.

Hesser (16-10) 77

Sylney 2-3-7, Wilson 8-2-20, Edmonds 1-0-2, Reynoso 7-6-21, Gonzalez 1-0-2, Anderson 1-0-3, Mangual Jr. 7-0-14, Davis 4-0-8

SMCC (21-11) 74

Skillings 1-0-2, Worster 5-0-13, Tatro 1-1-4, Blodgett 1-0-2, Forcier 4-0-8, Liebowitz 6-5-17, Banks 4-0-12, McKague 4-0-9, Slack 0-5-5, Hagerman 0-2-2

3-pt. goals: Wilson 2, Reynoso, Anderson; Worster 3, Tatro, Banks 4, McKague

Halftime: SMCC 41-32