WPI’s James Marois hit one of two free throws with 10.3 seconds left to give the Engineeers a 64-61 lead. Ryan Cain was fouled with 0.3 seconds left after the Sowers miss and he made both to give the Engineers the five point win.
Coast Guard (10-3, 2-2) started off with an 8-0 lead in the first two minutes and led 17-12 with 14:22 to go in the first half before a 7-0 run by WPI gave the Engineers its only lead of the half at 19-17. Coast Guard led 34-33 at halftime.
The Bears led 47-43 with 13:06 left before WPI scored eight straight on a pair of baskets by both Ryan Flynn and Marois for a 51-47 lead with 8:43 left.
Coast Guard tied the game 55-55 on a three-pointer by Sowers with 5:29 left and the Bears took the lead 56-55 as Dan Sheppard made one of two free throws with 4:18 to play.
WPI took the lead for good on a basket by Flynn with 2:23 to play. Cain extended the lead to 59-56 on a hoop with 1:32 left before Flynn increased the lead to 51-56 on a basket with 49.9 seconds left.
The Bears cut the lead to two on two occasions in the final minute as Jeff Prebeck went four-for-four from the line, but Steve Furber knocked down a pair of free throws with 25.2 seconds left for a 63-59 lead. Prebeck knocked down two more free throws, then following a pair of misses by Flynn from the foul line, Marois got an offensive rebound and made one of two free throws with 10.3 seconds left for a 64-61 lead.
Marois led WPI (14-1, 4-1) with 19 points while Antoine Coleman (14) and Cain (12) also scored in double figures for the Engineers.
Sowers had a game-high 20 points for Coast Guard, which had its four game win streak snapped. Prebeck finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds while Craig Johnson had 11 points and nine rebounds for the Bears.
WPI, which won its fourth straight, outrebounded Coast Guard 43-37. The Bears lead all of college basketball, Divisions I, II and III in rebounding margin (+16.2).