Brian Ellis '11 had 9 points and 6 rebounds in the second half to fuel the Bobcat surge.

LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates College men's basketball team turned around a 30-24 halftime deficit to defeat the University of Southern Maine 66-45 in a non-league contest Tuesday night at Alumni Gymnasium.

Bates (2-1) held USM (1-3) to 4 of 30 shooting from the field en route to a 42-15 scoring advantage in the second half.

Junior Chris Wilson (Brewer, Maine) scored 15 points with 4 assists and 4 rebounds for Bates, and sophomore Brian Ellis (Braintree, Mass.) added 14 points and 10 rebounds. Greg Whitaker led the Huskies with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Kione Morgan chipped in with 11.

USM built a lead as high as 11 in the first half, going on a 12-2 run to take a 28-17 lead with 3:37 left to play when Morgan followed a three-pointer with two free throws and a layup.

But Bates wasted no time in reversing its fortunes in the second half, starting the period on a 17-2 run. Wilson converted a steal by junior Marshall Hatch (Chicago, Ill.) into a 3-pointer to start the run, then answered a pair of foul shots by Andy Tracy with another three after a handoff and screen by sophomore Alex Gallant (Bangor, Maine), cutting the lead to 32-30. Bates took the lead for good on its next possession, as Ellis hit a layup on a Hatch assist and was fouled, and a USM player was assessed a technical foul. Wilson hit both techs and Ellis finished off his own three-point play to give Bates a 35-32 lead.

As Southern Maine continued to struggle offensively, Bates continued to build its lead. with six straight free throws, two each by sophomore Nick Schmiemann (Weymouth, Mass.), Wilson and junior Sean Wirth (Barrington, R.I.). Luke Pollock stemmed the bleeding with a layup to make it 41-34, but first-year Kyle Philbrook (Auburn, Maine) came back with a three in the corner to build the lead to 10. The Bobcats never looked back from there, gradually building the lead to the final 21-point deficit with under a minute to play on a jumper by first-year John Squires (Swampscott, Mass.).

The Bobcats achieved a 20-5 advantage in bench points and outscored the Huskies 28-16 in the paint.

Bates will play at Thomas College on Dec. 2 at 7 p.m.; Southern Maine will host St. Joseph's College of Maine this Sunday at 7 p.m.

STATS: Bates 66, Southern Maine 45