BRUNSWICK — Jaycie Christopher couldn’t wipe the smile off her face.

And after the University of Southern Maine women’s basketball team upset Bowdoin, 67-59, in the Polar Bears’ home gym to advance to the third round of the NCAA Division III tournament, why would the senior guard want to?

Christopher scored 17 points, three others scored in double figures, and the Huskies (27-2) got past the second round for the first time since 2007. USM will face Wisconsin-La Crosse on Friday at New York University.

“You’re watching SportsCenter all the time, you see these moments on TV, you know, we’re living that,” said USM coach David Chadbourne. “We get to live that. That makes it special.”

Senior guard Avah Ingalls added 13 points and Dakota Shipley, a sophomore forward, scored 10 points (two 3-pointers). Freshman forward Izzy Morelli (11 points) came off the bench and scored in double figures for the second night in a row.

USM, one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the nation, showcased its range by making four of their first five attempts. Morelli and Liz Cote each finished with three 3-pointers.

“Liz Cote hit three 3s,” Christopher said. “We know she’s gonna make shots, she’s the best shooter on our team, but Izzy stepping up again today was huge for us … That was awesome for us. It obviously just spreads the floor a little bit when we make a few shots.”

‘The Huskies took the lead with 3:00 left in the opening quarter and never gave it up.

“It’s weird how when we make shots, we’re a little bit better defensively, too,” Chadbourne said. We have a little more energy, little more bounce when we make shots.”

As the Huskies learned while watching the Bowdoin-Emmanuel game unfold Friday night, a quick defensive motor would be necessary to keep up with the fast-paced Polar Bears (25-3), who were ranked seventh in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association poll.

Bowdoin junior forward Abbie Quinn, who Chadbourne noted was harder to guard than anticipated, battled through double and triple teams down low to score 20 points.

The Polar Bears initially struggled to hit outside shots but found a better rhythm in the second quarter. Maria Belardi (15 points) knocked down two 3s, and Carly Davey hit a deep 3 to beat the halftime buzzer and cut the deficit to 37-33.

“Having Abbie on my team makes it so easy (to get going from beyond the arc),” Belardi said. “I know that they’re gonna double her, triple her, throw so many defenders at her, and I just need to find the gap in the defense.”

Bowdoin closed to within one point twice in the second half, 44-43 with 16 seconds left in the third quarter and 54-53 with 4:06 remaining in the fourth.

USM sophomore guard Lucy Wiles scored all seven of her points in the final three minutes, and the Huskies were 12 of 13 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter. USM finished 23 of 25 at the line, while Bowdoin was 8 of 13.

“We just believe so much in each other,” said Christopher, who made all nine of her free throws. “I think when we look across our home bench and the people on the floor, there’s not a doubt in any of our minds. So when everyone stepped up to the free-throw line, when it came down to making plays, we trust that someone’s gonna step up in that moment.”

Bowdoin’s five seniors were part of the first recruiting class for coach Megan Phelps, who called this year’s team “one of my favorite teams that I’ve ever gotten to coach.”

“When they got here, we were 15-10, and they’re going to finish as, I think, one of the most successful classes in the history of a really storied program,” Phelps said. “I think that that is such a testament to who they are as people and leaders. It’s really hard to be a big class, and I think they all did such a nice job of stepping into leadership roles at different times. I’m incredibly proud of their growth, and I know that we’re really going to miss them.”