By Randy Whitehouse,Staff Writer

GORHAM – Megan Myles’ reputation as a big-game player is growing, and now it will follow her south to the NCAA Division III Women’s Final Four.

The Auburn native and former Edward Little standout came up big again yesterday in the University of Southern Maine’s 80-69 win over Springfield College, posting team highs in points (19) and rebounds (eight) with the kind of post play that even had the Springfield contingent in awe.

“She was a tough matchup,” said Springfield coach Naomi Graves. “She’s a great player. Strong kid, tough as nails. We were not able to contain her the way we wanted to.”

“I have much respect for the game she played. She played an amazing game today,” said Springfield forward Kacey Wunsch.

Myles was pretty amazing the rest of the tournament, too, earning Most Outstanding Player honors, two weeks after matching the feat in the Little East Conference tournament.

In the second round of the NCAAs, she dismantled Ithaca with a career-high 25 points, contributing a key layup and a big defensive rebound in the final 90 seconds of the 55-52 win. In Friday night’s overtime epic with Bates, she scored six of her game-high 23 in the extra session.

“She’s come up big in every big game,” Fifield said. “You think back to last year in the NCAA tournament, through the conference tournament. I remember one game (against) Maine Maritime (in the first round of the NCAAs), we were kind of struggling and she just put us on her back and carried us. She likes to play in the big games.”

The unassuming 5-11 junior forward has no explanation for her big-game aptitude.

“I really don’t know,” Myles said. “My teammates always seem to get me the ball, and I just seem to be able to finish.”

True enough, Myles benefits from a trio of guards, Katie Frost, Katie Sibley and Donna Cowing, who know where and when to get her the ball on the low block.

But it’s one thing to get the ball, then another to know what to do with it once you get it. Myles, showing a combination of strength and quickness that is pretty rare in Division III, had it all going for her during a 25-7 stretch in the first half that ultimately separated the Huskies from the Pride.

Myles started slowly, going the first 12:39 without a field goal, so the Huskies made due by looking for her cohort in the low post, Little East Conference Player of the Year Ashley Marble (15 points). Myles pronounced herself ready to take over with 7:21 left in the half by schooling Wunsch with a nifty fake right into the lane, spin left to the baseline jump hook that drew a cascade of “Whoa” from the partisan Husky crowd and put USM up 24-15.

Myles went on to score nine of 11 USM points as it opened a 33-20 lead late in the half.

“I was just kind of in the right place at the right time and my teammates fed me the ball,” Myles said. “I guess I was just getting comfortable. We knew we were going to have to come out and get a quick start, but we had a little trouble trying to connect.”

Foul trouble limited Myles’ impact in the early stages of the second half, but she made a decisive impact upon returning to the game midway through the half following a four-minute rest. First came a bucket inside off a nice feed from Trish Sylvain that bounced the USM lead into double figures for good. Then, doubled in the post, she kicked out to Frost for a trey that made it 67-50 with 8:35 left. Finally, she found Marble on a post pattern for an uncontested layup that put the Pride away for good with 2:20 to go.

The former Miss Maine Basketball finalist transferred to USM prior to her sophomore year after a year at Merrimack College. Now, less than two years later, she’s the co-captain and the post-season MVP on a USM team that has already broken school records for wins and consecutive wins in a single season and is headed to its first Final Four since 2000.

“After the first year I was here, I knew it was the best move I could have done,” Myles said. “I just love being here and love the team and love the coaching staff.”

“Hopefully,” she added, “it’s just going to get better.”