Mike Boornazian scored a game-high 25 points in Bates' 81-78 win over Nichols in the season opener on Nov. 15, 2014. (File photo by Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College) 

WALTHAM, Mass. -- Billy Selmon hit the go-ahead 3-pointer on a dish from Graham Safford with 27 seconds left in the game, and the Bates men's basketball team hung on to complete an 81-78 comeback win over Nichols on Saturday, the first day of the season-opening Babson Invitational.

Junior Mike Boornazian (Portland, Conn.) scored a game-high 25 points for the Bobcats (1-0), while Safford (Hampden, Maine; 22 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists) flirted with a triple-double and sophomore Marcus Delpeche added a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double. Sophomore big men Malcolm Delpeche (Wilmington, Del.) and Max Eaton (St. Petersburg, Fla.) fouled out in a mere eight and 12 minutes played, respectively.

First-year guard Justin Zukowski (Portland, Maine) drained two 3-pointers in a key 8-2 run midway through the second half, which tied the game up at 60-60 with 8:32 left in the game.

The Bobcats shot 50 percent from the floor and held the Bison (0-1) to 40.3 percent shooting. 

Bates led 19-17 with 12:12 left in the first half before Nichols ripped off 15 points in a row and extended that into a 21-4 run for a 38-23 lead with 5:47 left in the half. From there it was a long, slow climb back for the Bobcats. Following a three by Nichols' Irving Eggleston, which gave Nichols a 51-37 lead 1:17 into the second half, a three-point play by Selmon cut it to 11. A three by Boornazian on a Safford assist cut it to 53-45 with 14:28 to go, and after a long dry spell for both teams, Safford made a jumper and converted a three-point play to clip the Bison's lead to 55-52 with 10:43 left. Nichols bumped it back to 58-52, but Zukowski drained his first college basket, a three from Safford. Selmon made a steal at the other end and was fouled, then hit his free throws to cut the margin to one at 58-57. Zukowski then answered a Taylor Sarette tip-in with a second three to tie the game at 60-60 with 8:32 to go.

Nichols rebounded with an 11-2 run to take a 71-64 lead with 4:02 to go, with seven of those points coming from the free-throw line. Boornazian drained another three, but Gustave Koumare answered with a three. 

Nichols still had a seven-point lead with 2:34 to go after two foul shots by Koumare. Boornazian went coast-to-coast for a layup to cut it to 78-73, then rebounded a Nichols miss and fed Safford for a layup in transition to make it 78-75 Nichols with 2:11 to go.

Junior Mike Newton (Chapel Hill, N.C.) made 1-of-2 foul shots for Bates and Nichols' Matt Langadas missed a pair at the  other end. The teams traded misses before Safford drove and kicked out to Selmon (Atlanta, Ga.) on the right wing for a three that gave Bates a 79-78 lead with 27 seconds left.

Langadas missed another pair of free throws on Nichols' next possession; Nichols was forced to foul then, and Safford made both of his at the other end for the final score of 81-78.

Koumare led the Bison with 24 points, five rebounds and five assists. Eggleston scored 12 and Langadas and Sarette added 11 apiece.

Selmon finished the game with eight points and two steals. Boornazian made 10-of-15 shots from the field, and also grabbed seven rebounds and passed out five assists. Safford also had a game-high three steals.

Bates takes on host Babson on Sunday at 7pm in the tournament championship game.