Coast Guard used a 10-2 run midway thru the first half to take a 20-10 lead with 6:47 left before the Cougars answered with a 15-3 run taking their first lead of the game at 25-23 on a three-pointer by Sklarz with 48 seconds left in the half. Ryan Burgess hit a three-pointer with 15 seconds left as Coast Guard led 26-25 at halftime.
Clark (11-14, 4-8) took the lead for good 33-32 on a basket by Tim Dutille with 16:10 left in the game. The Cougars took their largest lead of the game at 45-38 on a hoop by Sklarz with 10:15 left. Coast Guard cut the lead to one at 49-48 on a three-pointer by Jason Nelson with 6:04 left.
Dutille, who was 10 of 12 from the foul line, made a pair of free throws with 1:17 left to give the Cougars a 56-52 lead before Coast Guard’s Craig Johnson pulled the Bears to within 56-54 on a bucket with one minute left.
Sklarz led Clark with 16 points and six rebounds while Dutille added 14 points. Peter Normandin, Dominque Beck and Pat Landers also led the Cougars with six rebounds each.
Craig Johnson led Coast Guard (16-7, 7-5) with 16 points and seven rebounds while Grant Johnson added 13 points and a game-high four assists for the Bears.
Clark outrebounded Coast Guard 37-31 and 21-12 in the second half. Coast Guard leads all of men’s college basketball (Divisions I, II and III) in rebounding margin (+12.3).
Coast Guard beat Clark 70-62 earlier in the season.
Clark beat Coast Guard three times last season including a 71-58 win over the Bears in the first round of the NEWMAC Tournament in Worcester.