The Panthers, 7-3 overall, extended their winning streak to five games, including two straight over schools from the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). Bates, which won its first eight games of the season, dropped to 9-2 overall.
With the game tied 20-20 midway through the first half, PSU went on a 15-2 run over the next five minutes to take a 13-point lead. The Panthers led by 14 points (42-28) at the break, although neither team scored in the final two minutes of the half.
Plymouth State opened the second half with a 19-7 spurt to assume a 26-point advantage (61-35), and the Bobcats got no closer than 17 points until the final two minutes of the game.
Pelotte hit 11-of-23 field goal attempts while adding five rebounds and four assists for the Panthers. Junior Mark Dunham (Salem, N.H.) drained 4-of-5 from three-point range and finished with a season-high 14 points, and sophomore Andreas Pope (Brooklyn, N.Y.) added 13 points.
Sophomore Rob Stockwell (Temple, N.H.) led the Bobcats with 15 points and eight rebounds, and senior Brian Gerrity (Augusta, Maine) scored 14 points. Senior Elliott Linsley (Murrieta, Cal.) led all rebounders with 11 boards.
Plymouth State shot 54.1 percent from the field and made 6-of-13 from three-point range, while Bates connected at a 33.8 percent clip and converted only 6-of-27 from beyond the arc. The visitors finished with a 41-37 advantage on the boards.
PSU, which defeated Middlebury on Sunday, plays its third straight NESCAC school on Thursday, hosting Bowdoin at Foley Gymnasium (6:00 p.m.). Bates visits Colby on Saturday (3:00 p.m.).
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