The win is the second straight for the Huskies who improve to 2-1. The loss is the first of the season for the Bobcats who drop to 2-1.
Sophomore guard Andy Frost (Brewer, Maine/Brewer) added 15 points for the Huskies while sophomore guards Walter Phillips (Portland, Maine/Bridgton Academy) and Josh Daniels (Everett, Wash./Maine Central Institute) chipped in with 13 and 11 points respectively.
Junior forward Rob Stockwell (Temple, N.H./New Hampton School) racked up a double-double in a solid performance in the post. Stockwell netted a team-high 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Bobcats. Junior guard Zak Ray (Bangor, Maine/Bangor) added 15 points, five rebounds and three assists, while senior center Matt Chudomel (Wellfleet, Mass./Nauset) chipped in with a 11 points and a team-high 12 rebounds.
In a closely contested first half, the Huskies squeaked out a slim 32-21 advantage at the break when Daniels collected a ball from an out of bounds play, took three dribbles and heaved a three-pointer at the buzzer. The shot was one of two three-pointers for Daniels on the night.
The Huskies opened the second half outscoring Bates 13-4 over the first five minutes to build a 12-point, 47-35, lead. Phillips knocked in five points on a jumper and a three-ball and Hardwick scored four of his game-high 20 in the opening run.
Southern Maine maintained a comfortable lead for much of the second stanza. Bates cut the USM advantage to three points, 59-56, with just under six minutes to play on a pair of free throws from Chudomel, but the Huskies’ Hardwick answered right back with a pair of buckets. Hardwick knocked down a mid-range jumper on an assist from Frost and then came up with an offensive rebound and a put-back to give the Huskies a 63-56 lead with 4:02 to play.
The Huskies maintained a 6-8 point lead the rest of the way and knocked down nine of their 10 free throws over the final 1:20 of the game to seal the win.
Southern Maine shot a solid 45.2 percent from the field (28-of-62) and was 6-of-13 from the three-point line. Bates shot just 37.5 percent from the field for the game connecting on just 24-of-64 attempts.
Southern Maine returns to action after the holiday break at home against the Bowdoin College Polar Bears on Tuesday, November 29, 2005. Tip-off is schedule for 8 p.m. Bates host Thomas College Monday, November 28 at 7 p.m.
11/22/05 7:30 p.m. at GORHAM, Maine; Warren G. Hill Gymnasium U. OF SOUTHERN MAINE 77, BATES COLLEGE 68 BATES COLLEGE (2-1) Rob Stockwell 7-15 4-10 19; Zak Ray 6-12 2-3 15; Matt Chudomel 4-6 3-3 11;Sam Taylor 3-5 2-2 8; Sean Cahill 2-11 0-0 5; Bryan Wholey 1-6 2-2 4; ScottPlace 1-3 0-0 3; Mark Westhuis 0-1 3-4 3; Pat Halloran 0-4 0-0 0; Damon McGinn 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-64 16-24 68. U. OF SOUTHERN MAINE (2-1) Bill Hardwick 9-14 2-2 20; Andy Frost 4-11 7-10 15; Walter Phillips 5-10 1-2 13; Josh Daniels 4-9 1-2 11; Foster Oakley 3-7 0-0 8; Jesse McKinnell 2-74-5 8; Drew Coppenwrath 1-3 0-0 2; Ian Hebert 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 28-62 15-21 77. Bates College 31 37 68 U. of Southern Maine 32 45 77 3-point goals-Bates College 4-22 (Sean Cahill 1-6; Scott Place 1-2; RobStockwell 1-3; Zak Ray 1-6; Pat Halloran 0-3; Bryan Wholey 0-2), U. of Southern Maine 6-13 (Foster Oakley 2-3; Walter Phillips 2-4; Josh Daniels2-2; Drew Coppenwrath 0-1; Andy Frost 0-2; Bill Hardwick 0-1). Fouled out--Bates College-Rob Stockwell, U. of Southern Maine-None. Rebounds-Bates College 44 (Matt Chudomel 12), U. of Southern Maine 39 (Jesse McKinnell 15). Assists-Bates College 6 (Zak Ray 3), U. of Southern Maine 18 (Walter Phillips 6). Total fouls-Bates College 21, U. of Southern Maine 18. A-514