Bates 84, New England College 75
at Lewiston, Maine

BATES MEN'S HOOPS WINS NINTH STRAIGHT, 84-75, OVER
NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE

LEWISTON, Maine Ð All five Bates College starters scored in double figures as the host Bobcats extended their school-record winning streak to nine games tonight with an 84-75 victory over New England College.

Bates (11-3) got a pair of double-double performances in the win. Junior forward Alex Wilson (Duxbury, Mass.) scored 16 points and grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds, while sophomore guard Matt LaPointe (Beverly, Mass.) added 13 points and 10 assists, one short of his career best. Junior forward Ed Walker (Roxbury, Mass.) had a team-high 19 points, including three 3-pointers. Senior Rommel Padonou (Libreville, Gabon) and rookie guard Ramon Garcia (Haverhill, Mass.) each scored 10 points.

New England College (6-9) was led by senior center Dennis Dube (Methuen, Mass.), who tallied 31 points on 10-of-20 shooting from the floor and nine-of-10 from the line. Rookie forward J.J. Emerton (Portland, Maine) was the only other Pilgrim player in double figures with 10 points. Sophomore Lamont Eddins (Great Neck, N.Y.) led NEC with seven rebounds.

After a close first half that saw Bates take a 37-33 lead into the locker room, the Bobcats led by as many as 16 in the second half. Bates outshot New England College, 52 percent (16-of-31) to 38 percent (14-of-37) in the second stanza. The Bobcats outrebounded NEC, 46-31, for the game.

Bates opens NESCAC conference play against Tufts on Saturday at 3 p.m.. New England College travels to Commonwealth Coast Conference foe Eastern Nazarene, also Saturday at 3 p.m.