LEWISTON, Maine -- The NESCAC's leading scorer Sam Jefferson tallied a game-high 26 points and No. 5 nationally ranked Colby shot 67.6% from the field in the second half to run past the Bates men's basketball team by a final score of 101-84 Friday night at Alumni Gym.
Bates (10-8, 2-3 NESCAC) stayed with the Mules (18-0, 6-0 NESCAC) throughout an entertaining first half that saw the two teams go back-and-forth with neither side able to get any breathing room on the scoreboard.
Senior Nick Gilpin (Hampden, Maine) drilled a three with 2:03 left in the half, putting Bates up 43-41. But Jefferson answered quickly on the other end with a three of his own, putting Colby ahead for good at 44-43.
That's how the score stood at halftime and the Mules came out firing in the second half, going up 51-45 on a Matt Hanna layup with 17:55 remaining. First-year Stephon Baxter (Worcester, Mass.) answered on the other end to trim the lead to four. The game remained close for the next couple minutes and Gilpin's tip-in with 15:38 left made the score 57-51 in favor of Colby.
But the turning point of the game happened on the next possession. Noah Tyson missed a three but the ball deflected to Will King, who found Hanna for a dagger three, putting Colby up nine. That started a 10-0 run which culminated with a Jefferson layup, putting the Mules ahead 67-51 with 13:39 to go in regulation.
The Bobcats got to within 12 points three separate times down the stretch, but never any closer.
Hanna poured in 20 points on 8-11 shooting and King tallied a double-double, finishing with 17 points and a game-high 12 assists. Tyson scored 17 points as well and Alex Dorion finished with 11.
Baxter scored a team-high 21 points for Bates on 9-17 shooting. Senior Jeff Spellman (Boston, Mass.) tallied 18 points and senior Kody Greenhalgh (West Warwick, R.I.) finished with 13 points on 5-9 shooting despite battling foul trouble throughout the contest. Gilpin also finished in double figures with 10 points, six rebounds and four assists.
The Bobcats were pretty consistent on offense, shooting 43.6% in the first half and 42.5% in the second half. The difference was Colby's ability to get to the hoop. After shooting 45.7% in the first half, the Mules finished with a team shooting percentage of 56.5% thanks to their monster second half.
Colby's 101 points are the most Bates has allowed in a NESCAC game since the 2001-02 season.
The Bobcats look to bounce back Saturday afternoon when they welcome the Bowdoin College Polar Bears to town for a 3pm tip.
Gallery: (1-31-2020) Men's Basketball vs. Colby (Phyllis Graber Jensen)
