LEWISTON, Maine – Junior
Billy Selmon scored a game-high 30 points and hit nine 3-pointers, but Bates College men's basketball fell to Colby College, 85-70, on Saturday afternoon in Alumni Gym in the regular season finale for both teams.
The Mules (14-10, 4-6 NESCAC) will await their fate in the NESCAC Championship once the final standings shake themselves out while the season concludes for the Bobcats (11-13, 1-9 NESCAC).
Selmon (Atlanta, Ga.) hit 9-of-11 shots from deep and fell one 3-pointer shy of tying the program record for triples in a game as Matt Garvey made 10 shots from deep against Colby Sawyer on Jan. 7, 1996.
Sophomore Patrick Stewart (Bangor, Maine) paced four Mules in double figures with 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 5-of-7 shooting from behind the arc. Sophomore Chris Hudnut (Chevy Chase, Md.) posted 18 points and nine rebounds, classmate Luke Westman tallied 13 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, and sophomore Sam Wilson (Watertown, Conn.) had 16 points.
The Mules shot more effectively from 3-point distance – 10-of-17 (58.8 percent) – than from inside the arc – 17-of-39 (43.6 percent).
Senior Luke Matarazzo (Shelton, Conn.) netted 15 points, and sophomore Mike Boornazian chipped in 11 points for the Bobcats.
Prior to the game, Bates honored its three-member senior class – Matarazzo, Sean Cunningham (Amherst, Mass.), and Derek Murphy (Lowell, Mass.).
After Colby opened the game with a 16-7 lead, Selmon hit consecutive treys to pull the Bobcats within 16-13 with 12:34 to play in the first half. Selmon gave the hosts a 19-16 lead on another 3-pointer before the Mules used a 13-2 run to capture a 29-21 edge at the 6:52 mark. Bates cut its deficit to two points twice inside of the last 5:30, but Colby brought a 38-34 lead into the intermission.
The two teams traded baskets over much of the second stanza's first 10 minutes as Colby remained ahead, 57-51, at the midway point of the second half. Selmon connected on a trio of 3-pointers inside of a two-minute span from there, but Bates still trailed 66-60 with 6:23 to play.
The Mules then went on a 15-2 spurt to grab their largest lead of the game at 81-62 with 2:14 remaining. Hudnut accounted for six of the team's points during the streak while Westman knocked down four free throws to help seal the win.
