LEWISTON, Maine — The Bates men's basketball team gave first-place Wesleyan all it could handle in a thrilling overtime contest at Alumni Gym on Saturday, ultimately falling 73-67 in front of a raucous home crowd. The Bobcats honored seniors Garvin McLaughlin, Grant Nadeau, and Lincoln Rybeck prior to the opening tip.
Wesleyan (22-0, 8-0 NESCAC) entered the game undefeated and boasting the nation's top ranking, but Bates (10-12, 1-7 NESCAC) fought valiantly, erasing an 11-point halftime deficit with a relentless second-half effort.
The Cardinals came out firing, opening the game on a 9-0 run in the first four minutes, capped by a three-pointer from Nicky Johnson at 18:17. The Bobcats responded with a deep three from Keenan Sparks at 16:16 to get on the board, but Wesleyan continued to apply pressure, pushing their lead to 21-9 at the 12:13 mark following a layup by Johnson.
Bates showed resilience late in the first half, with Brady Coyne connecting on back-to-back three-pointers to bring the Bobcats within striking distance at 27-25 with 5:33 to go. However, Wesleyan closed the half strong, using an 8-0 run over the final two minutes to head into the locker room up 42-31.
Bates came out with renewed energy in the second half, holding Wesleyan to just 16 points while chipping away at the deficit. Coyne continued his hot shooting, draining a three at 16:15 to make it a five-point game at 46-41. The Bobcats' defense tightened, forcing key turnovers and limiting Wesleyan to just 17.1% shooting in the period.
With 5:08 left in regulation, Coyne buried another deep three, pulling Bates within three at 55-52. The Bobcats finally tied the game at 58-58 on a clutch fadeaway jumper from Babacar Pouye with just 1.2 seconds on the clock, sending the home crowd into a frenzy and forcing overtime.
Despite the momentum, Wesleyan regained control in the extra period. Shane Regan (22 points) put the Cardinals ahead with a layup at 4:24, and after a Bates turnover, he struck again at 3:34 to extend the lead to 62-58. Pouye responded with a layup and free throw to make it a one-point game, 62-61, but Wesleyan never relinquished control.
Key free throws from Jackson Cormier (15 points, 17 rebounds) and Johnson (17 points, five assists) in the final seconds sealed the victory for the top-ranked Cardinals. The charity stripe played a vital role in the contest as Wesleyan connected on 22 of its 26 attempts (85%). In contrast, the Bobcats hit only 50% of their free throw efforts (10-for-20).
Coyne led the Bobcats with 21 points, hitting five three-pointers, while Pouye contributed 16 points, seven rebounds, and a game-high four blocks. Sparks added nine points off the bench, and Peter Psyhogeos chipped in six points and four rebounds.
Bates hits the road for their next contest, as they visit Connecticut College on Friday at 7 p.m.
Gallery: (2-8-2025) MBB vs. Wesleyan (Carly Philpott)
