WATERVILLE, Maine – Junior Graham Safford scored a game-high 26 points as Bates College men's basketball topped Colby College, 88-76, in a non-conference game at Swisher Court in Wadsworth Gym on Thursday night.

The Bobcats (6-1) extended their winning streak to four games and snapped a three-game winning streak for the Mules (4-2). The two teams will meet in NESCAC action later this year on Feb. 15 in Lewiston.

Safford (Hampden, Maine) led four Bobcats in double figures while shooting 10-of-20 from the field and dishing out nine assists. Junior Adam Philpott (Gloucester, Mass.) connected on 5-of-7 shots from behind the arc for 15 points – all in the first half – while sophomore Mike Boornazian (Portland, Conn.) notched 13 points, and junior Billy Selmon (Atlanta, Ga.) had 12.

Bates' trio of first-year big men – Malcolm Delpeche (Wilmington, Del.), Marcus Delpeche (Wilmington, Del.), and Max Eaton (St. Petersburg, Fla.) – combined for 17 points, 14 rebounds, and four blocks. 

Patrick Stewart paced Colby with team highs in points (24) and rebounds (11) while Chris Hudnut (16), Ryan Jann (14), and Sam Wilson (11) all recorded double-figure scoring nights.

The visitors used a 25-8 run in the end of the first half to take a double-digit lead and gained additional separation in the second half with an 18-4 stretch midway through the period.

Neither team held an advantage larger than two possessions for much of the first half. Trailing 27-21, the Bobcats eventually knotted the game at 32-32 with 3:51 to play in the opening stanza. Bates then went on a 14-3 run behind three 3-pointers from Philpott to capture a 46-35 edge at the 1:10 mark. The visitors took a 49-38 lead into the break after Safford hit a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Colby cut its deficit to five at 55-50 just under five minutes into the second half, but the Bobcats responded as Boornazian netted five quick points, and Eaton canned a 3-pointer to initiate the team's 18-4 run with Boornazian accounting for 10 of those points. Selmon capped the streak with a fastbreak layup off a pass from Boornazian to give Bates a 73-54 lead with 8:41 remaining.

The Bobcats built their lead to as large as 78-58 after a 3-pointer from senior Sean Cunningham (Amherst, Mass) with 6:50 to go. Colby came within 11 points twice down the stretch – the latest at 83-72 with 1:51 left.

Next, Bates plays at Bowdoin tomorrow at 7 p.m. in a non-conference match-up.