By Kalle Oakes,Staff Writer

Scout the red-hot University of Southern Maine women’s basketball team and you might think Gary Fifield is involved in human cloning.

Everyone plays, everyone can shoot, everyone scores and everyone can play defense. That’s how you win 20 consecutive games and elevate a team with no seniors to No. 4 nationally in NCAA Division III.

But not every player is Meg Myles.

They aren’t all blessed with Myles’ ability to check her natural unselfishness at the scorer’s table and knock down three or four consecutive buckets when the Huskies need it most. The 5-foot-11 junior forward and Edward Little High School graduate is comfortable stepping into the role of star on a team that’s proud not to have one.

“In clutch situations, she will step up and hit a big shot,” Fifield said.

USM traveled to Eastern Connecticut State last Sunday, and as is customary, the highly touted Huskies brought out the best in a hungry opponent.

They enjoyed a tenuous two-point lead with two minutes remaining in the first half.

“Meg took the ball and scored seven points in a minute, maybe a minute and 15 seconds,” said Fifield, “and all of a sudden a two-point game became an 11-point game at halftime.”

That brief outburst accounted for half of Myles’ 14 points. Southern Maine subsequently stomped Eastern Connecticut, 87-62, wrapping up the Little East Conference championship for an astonishing 17th time in the league’s 19-year history.

Myles’ performance also cemented her status as the Maine Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Week.

Coaches normally try to downplay statistics, but a peek at USM’s numbers underscores why the Huskies have kept pace with in-state rivals Bates and Bowdoin in a year when other programs might be reloading.

“We’ve had at least 10 different players score in double figures, and that’s from playing 22 or 24 minutes a game,” Fifield said. “We’ve got an inside game, we’ve got perimeter shooters, we’ve got slashers. You can’t focus on stopping one kid or two kids.”

Myles finds numerous ways to pester Little East foes when they concentrate on stifling her offense. She’s third on the team in scoring (12.3 points per game), second in rebounding (5.4) and 3-point percentage (43.4) and the Huskies’ leader in steals and blocked shots.

In Tuesday’s home win over Plymouth State, Myles weighed in with 15 points on 6-for-8 shooting, seven boards, four assists, four steals and three blocks.

“She typifies the team,” said Fifield. “She has been a steadying influence and a great leader that we count on.”

She’s performed swimmingly

Vanessa Williamson seeks her third consecutive NESCAC swimming championship this weekend in the 200-meter butterfly. The Bates senior and Auburn native begins the three-day competition today in Middlebury, Vt.

Williamson won two All-America honors as a junior, her fourth and fifth overall, finishing second at the NCAA Division III Championships in the 200 butterfly and third in the 100 butterfly.

She hasn’t slowed down this winter. Williamson won four events in a dual meet with Tufts on Jan. 29, capturing the 100 and 200 fly and 200 individual medley while swimming a leg of the victorious 400-meter medley relay.

Three other times, Williamson walked away with a triple crown. It happened most recently Feb. 6 against Bowdoin, when she aced the 50 and 200 butterfly and shared in a 200 medley relay triumph.

Williamson holds an astonishing eight school records, including four individual events and four relay marks. After the NESCAC meet, she’ll prepare for the NCAAs, which begin March 10 in Holland, Mich.

Seventh Devil

Make any list and you’re bound to leave someone out, despite the best intentions.

That happened in last week’s college notebook, when we rattled off six recent Lewiston High School girls’ basketball graduates who ascended to collegiate success.

We omitted Lynn Girouard, who was the first female athlete to enjoy a four-year career at Central Maine Community College. Girouard led the Mustangs to multiple undefeated regular seasons, and CM finished as high as third in the national small college tournament during her stellar career.

Girouard is now an assistant coach with the CM women’s program. We apologize for the oversight.