STATS: Bates 61, Bowdoin 60

Rob Stockwell '07 scored 11 points, including the game-winning free throw with 16 seconds remaining. Stockwell now ranks ninth on Bates' all-time scoring list, with 1,220 points.

BRUNSWICK, Maine -- The Bowdoin College men's basketball team put a scare into 21st-ranked Bates on Saturday evening, leading for the majority of the game but falling on a made free-throw by Rob Stockwell with 16 seconds remaining in a 61-60 final.

The Bobcats (6-0) remain unbeaten on the year while Bowdoin (4-2) sees their four-game winning streak come to an end.

An evenly-matched contest entered halftime with Bowdoin holding a 33-32 edge on a pair of Mark Phillips free-throws with 23 ticks left in the opening period. On the strength of red-hot shooting from Andrew Hippert, Bowdoin quickly pushed their advantage to nine points in the second period.

Hippert hit a three-pointer and after consecutive jumpers from Kyle Jackson, Hippert connected on another leaning jump shot to give the hosts a 44-35 advantage with 14:44 to play. The teams traded a flurry of baskets in the next three minutes before a 13-5 Bobcat run culminated with an acrobatic layup by senior Zak Ray (Bangor, Maine) to bring Bates within two points, 59-57, with 3:32 left on the clock.

A back-door feed from first-year Chris Wilson (Brewer, Maine) set up a game-tying lay-in by junior Bryan Wholey (Marshfield, Mass.) just moments later as the Bobcats tied the game for the first time in the second stanza at 59 apiece.

The contest remained tied into the final minute, when Jordan Fliegel was fouled by Stockwell (Temple, N.H.) under the Bowdoin hoop. Fliegel hit one of two freebies to give Bowdoin a 60-59 lead.

On the ensuing possession, senior Damon McGinn (Thetford, Vt.) of Bates was fouled and went to the line. He hit his first free-throw with 16 seconds left and missed his second. On the rebound, Fliegel was called for a foul on Stockwell. Bates' senior buried his first free throw but missed his second chance.

Bowdoin set up for a potential game-winning shot following a timeout, but junior Pat Halloran (Plymouth, N.H.) poked the ball away from Bowdoin's Kevin Bradley, sending the ball into the Bowdoin backcourt, where Bradley had to run and retrieve it. Bowdoin had to call another timeout with 2.9 seconds left to set up the last shot again, and Kyle Jackson's three-point attempt at the buzzer sailed wide, clinching the win for Bates.

Hippert led all scorers with 21 points, including 6-of-9 three-point attempts. Kyle Jackson joined him in double figures with 13.

Wholey led Bates with 16 points, to go with seven rebounds, while Stockwell finished with 11 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Ray scored nine points to go with a game-high seven assists, and first-year Jimmy O'Keefe (Lexington, Mass.) scored nine points on 4-of-4 shooting from the field.

Bates has won its last nine games against CBB rivals Bowdoin and Colby, and its past seven games against Bowdoin alone.

Stockwell's 11 points moved him out of a tie with Brian Gerrity '05 as the No. 9 all-time scorer in Bates men's basketball history, with 1,220 points.

Bates will next play at Thomas College on Monday night, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m.

-- Courtesy of Bowdoin College Sports Information