Bates 99, Eastern Nazarene 64
at Lewiston, Maine

BATES MEN'S HOOPS TROUNCES EASTERN NAZARENE, 99-64

LEWISTON, Maine Ð Bates College junior guard Billy Hart (Haverhill, Mass.) scored the first eight points of the contest and the Bobcats never looked back, defeating the visiting Eastern Nazarene College Crusaders, 99-64, for their fifth straight win.

Hart scored 16 of his game-high 21 points in the first half as Bates opened the game with a 20-4 run over the first eight minutes. The Bobcats opened a 56-38 lead at the half by shooting 55 percent from the floor (22-40), including eight-of-14 from 3-point range. Sophomore Jonathan Chesley (Whitinsville, Mass.) had 15 points for Eastern Nazarene at the break.

Bates (7-3) led by as many as 40 points in the second half en route to its biggest win since December 18, 1998. Four starters placed in double figures, led by Hart's season-high 21 points and a 20-point, nine-rebound performance by senior forward Rommel Padonou (Libreville, Gabon). Junior Alex Wilson (Duxbury, Mass.) recorded 16 points and a game-high 15 rebounds for his first double-double of the season, while classmate Ed Walker (Roxbury, Mass.) notched 16 points and kept the Crusaders' leading scorer off the board.

Eastern Nazarene (3-6) was led by Chesley's 17 points and 10 from junior guard Joel Thompson (Milton, Mass.). Junior Jon Angell (Cranston, R.I.) contributed nine points and team-high eight rebounds for the Crusaders.