At home against "the other" Colby, Colby-Sawyer, the Polar Bears looked to continue their early season momentum leading up to their rivalry contest against the Colby Mules this Saturday.
After jumping out to an early lead, the Polar Bears slowly let Colby-Sawyer back into the game in what would be a back and forth contest the rest of the way. Bowdoin looked to be in good position as they widened a three-point halftime advantage to 12 with just under seven minutes left to play, but Colby-Sawyer had other ideas.
Led by guard Jon Chaloux, Colby-Sawyer ripped off a 20-4 run to gain a 68-65 lead with under three minutes to play. Bowdoin's offense was stifled as it struggled to create open shots and, when it did get some open looks, it failed to convert.
"We've got to stop letting small runs turn into big runs," said senior captain Paul Sellew. "They went on their run and we let it affect us."
Down by two with a chance to tie or take the lead, guard Justin Nowell '12 attempted to loft a pass over a defender, but fellow sophomore Ryan O'Connell could not control the pass, allowing Colby-Sawyer to regain possession. After a pair of free throws extended the lead to four, the Polar Bears had no way back. A late three-pointer by guard Mike Hauser '10 made the final score 74-73, dropping Bowdoin to 5-2 on the season.
I think it's a confidence that we have to develop," said Coach Kevin Gilbride. "They're a good team with some great shooters, so we knew they were going to go on their run and we've got to understand that that's how things go. We've just got to continue to execute our game offensively."
O'Connell led Bowdoin with 18 points while Nowell added 13. Will Hanley '12 and Sellew added double-digit point totals and nine boards apiece.
In the team's first game this week, it traveled north to Castine, Maine to take on the Mariners of Maine Maritime Academy. After a pair of nail-biters in its previous two games, the team cruised to an easy 79-55 victory.
After three pointers by guards Randy Defeo '11 and Paul Sellew '10, the Polar Bears held an early 12-3 lead. The Mariners attempted to find their way back into the game and cut the Polar Bear lead to 24-17 midway through the period. The Polar Bears responded with a dominating 25-4 run to open up a halftime lead of 49-21. The Polar Bears' lead was never less than 24 points during the second half.
Sophomore guard Ryan O'Connell led the way with 20 points 6-8 shooting, including 5-6 from distance. Sellew chipped in with an efficient 16 points in 24 minutes of playing time while Justin Nowell '12 scored 11 points off the bench.
The Polar Bears will look to rebound against their traditional rivals Colby this Saturday in Waterville.
"They're undefeated right now so it's going to be a good test to see where we're at," said Gilbride.
"It's a must-win game now," said Sellew. "They're a great team, but we're going to go up there and get the win."