Box Score NEW LONDON, Conn.—David Labossiere (Stoneham, Mass.) scored 20 of his game-high 23 points in the second half to lead the Connecticut College men's basketball team to a 73-62 triumph against Bates College in front of 202 fans at Luce Field House Friday night.
Labossiere was 7-for-15 from the field, 2-for-4 from long distance and 7-of-10 at the foul line. He added five rebounds, two steals and an assist for the hosts, who trailed 28-23 at the intermission.
With the win, the Camels improve their record to 12-5 with a 3-2 mark in the NESCAC. The Bobcats fell to 9-8 and are now 2-3 in conference play.
Tyler Rowe (East Hartford, Conn.) chipped in with 19 points in 27 minutes of action. Junior Zuri Pavlin (New York, N.Y.) erupted with 15 points and 16 boards en route to a double-double, connecting on 6-of-7 shots from the field while adding a game-best five steals.
"We struggled to score a bit in the first half and I thought Bates did a really good job protecting the rim which made it tough," Connecticut College Head Men's Basketball Coach Tom Satran said. "We were able to score more if not easier in the second half but our defensive rebounding was really the difference."
Bates College senior guard Mike Boornazian (Portland, Conn.) finished with 15 points and seven rebounds in the loss. Senior guard Josh Britten (Yarmouth, Maine) and Shawn Strickland (Middletown, Conn.) added 12 points each while junior center Marcus Delpeche contributed with 10 points and eight rebounds in a 5-for-8 shooting night for the Bobcats.
Aaron Swenson (Waltham, Mass.) made a nice feed in transition to Pavlin for a jumper with 12:41 remaining that forced the fifth tie of the game at 38. On the ensuing possession, Pavlin stole the ball and drove to the tin for a hoop that put the Camels on top 40-38 with 12:26 to play. Labossiere scored the next two hoops, dialing up a three and following with a two before he closed out an 11-0 run by netting a pair of free throws with 10:11 to play.
But Bates responded with an 11-2 run of their own capped by a hoop from Malcolm Delpeche in transition that tied things up at 49 with 6:43 to play. However, the Camels would score the next seven points to pull away. Labossiere assisted Pavlin for a triple from the center of the arc with 3:22 to play that extended the lead to 61-51.
Strickland pulled the Bobcats to within 69-62 when netted a floater from 16 feet with 41 seconds left but the Camels were able to close out the game on the foul line and come away with the 73-62 win.
Bates visits Wesleyan tomorrow afternoon for a 3:00 p.m. game. The Camels will host 19th ranked Tufts here in New London for a 1:00 p.m. NESCAC tilt.
