NEW LONDON, Conn.--Andrew Musler (Belmont, Mass.) poured in 19 points and hauled in eight rebounds to lead the Clark University men's basketball team to an 87-80 victory at Connecticut College Tuesday night.

The Cougars improved to 3-4 with the triumph, while the Camels fell to 2-3 in the early season.

Musler was 6-for-10 from the field and 3-for-4 from long distance. Graduate student Nick DaPrato (Marshfield, Mass.) chipped in with 18 points for the visitors. David Mercier (Milford, Mass.) registered 15 points while sophomore Vuk Baletic (Belgrade, Serbia) reached double digits with 10 points for Clark.

Connecticut College junior Bo McKinley (Westport, N.Y.) poured in a game-high 26 points for the Camels, shooting 9-for-14 from the field and 5-for-8 from long distance. He added four rebounds and four assists for the hosts.

Lee Messier (Narragansett, R.I.) contributed with 15 points for the Camels. Isaiah Robinson (Lynn, Mass.) narrowly missed out on a double-double with nine points and 10 boards.

Zuri Pavlin (New York, N.Y.) ripped down a game-high 11 rebounds to go with his seven points. 

"We made a lot of silly mistakes that we can't make but a lot of that is on me," Connecticut College Head Men's Basketball Coach Tom Satran said. "We are not an experienced team and I have to do a better job of making it clear what we need to do in certain situations."

Clark shot 53% from the field in the opening half and carried a 44-34 advantage into the break.

But in the second stanza, the Camels clawed their way back into the game.

McKinley erased what was a 15 point Cougar advantage when he buried a three-ball from the left side with 12:33 remaining to even things up at 58 aside.

Another McKinley trey with 7:55 remaining vaulted the Camels out to their largest lead of the contest with a 68-62 edge.

But Clark would not go away and the visitors took the lead for good when Musler dialed long distance with 5:04 remaining. Later on in the half with 2:28 to play, Musler capped a 9-to-2 run when he converted with another three from the right side just as the shot clock was expiring to make it a 79-72 contest.

Connecticut College sophomore Colin Pascoe (Somers, Conn.) responded with a hoop and some harm with 2:08 to play to make it a 79-75 contest.

But the Camels could not get any closer and Clark was able to close the game out on the foul line to take the 87-80 win.