LEWISTON, Maine -- Bates College men's hoops opened NESCAC play Sunday in Alumni Gym as the Bobcats suffered a 73-49 loss to a hot Connecticut College squad. The visiting Camels (11-3) also defeated #5 Tufts Friday night on the road to improve to 2-0 in conference action.

A Ben Rice (Sr.-Hanson, Mass.) layup 3:47 into the matinee provided Conn. College a first-half high, seven-point lead of 10-3 before the 'Cats countered with an 11-3 run (capped by a Marc Begin II three-pointer) to go ahead by one (14-13) with 11:02 to go in the stanza.

With Bates ahead by two (19-17) at 6:19, courtesy of five-consecutive points from Begin, the Camels set off on an 8-0 spurt to go back ahead by six (25-19) with 4:20 remaining before the break.

Two three-pointers from Elliott Cravitz, and two successful free throws by Babacar Pouye, over the next 2:17 brought the home team all the way back to knot the score at 27-27. A pair of David Murray (Sr.-Jackson Heights, N.Y.) lay-ins over the final 2:03 put Conn. College up by four (31-27) going into intermission.

Cravitz took full advantage of a Camels' infraction 20 seconds into the second half as the sophomore sank three free throws, putting Bates to within one (31-30).

That would be as close as the Bobcats could climb as a Murray layup 17 seconds later (19:23) kicked off a mighty 16-0 surge as Conn. College owned an insurmountable lead of 47-30 with 14:09 remaining in regulation.

Rice's three-point play ten minutes later provided the visitors its largest lead of the afternoon at 71-43.

Murray was the star of the day for the victors as the senior recorded a double-double consisting of 30 points (14-for-21 from the floor) and 12 rebounds, complemented by his five blocks three assists, over 33 minutes of action. RJ Casey (So.-Brentwood, Tenn.) and Elias Espinosa (So.-Leonia, N.J.) followed with 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Camels.

Rice ended the afternoon with 12 rebounds in the win.

Begin, coming off Tuesday's 47-point showing at St. Joseph's College, again paced the Bobcats with 14 points in 30 minutes. The first-year has now netted a cool 99 points over his last three outings.

Cravitz, playing a season-high 33 minutes for Bates, recorded 12 points (three 3-pointers) in the effort.

The garnet and white (2-10, 0-1 NESCAC) now heads north to take on University of Maine-Presque Isle this Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. in what will be the first contest between the in-state programs since the 2014-15 campaign.