Following early season success, the men's basketball team continued to do well over winter break, posting a 5-3 record. The team welcomed in 2012 with a dominating 88-66 win over Plymouth State, in which Andrew Madlinger '14 scored a career-high 24 points.
The team won its sixth straight game—and first NESCAC contest—against Hamilton, 74-61, on January 6.
However, the streak was snapped by Tufts, which beat the Polar Bears 82-70. Then, on January 14, the team travelled to Lewiston and fell to Bates 81-60.
Although the Polar Bears beat Bates earlier in the season, the Bobcats were dominant from long range, making 49 percent of their field goals.
On January 18, Bowdoin returned home to face the University of Maine-Farmington. Although the team was trailing at the half, Wyatt Littles '12 performed well off the bench, and led the team with 17 points.
Bowdoin hit 51 percent of its shots, with senior captain Will Hanley, Madlinger, captain Ryan O'Connell '12, and Bryan Hurley '15 scoring in the double-digits.
Two days later, Bowdoin hosted No. 1 Amherst. Although Bowdoin was only down by two at the half, Amherst pulled ahead in the second half and ultimately won the contest 80-66.
Bowdoin rebounded on January 21, taking its second NESCAC victory in a low-scoring 55-43 game against Trinity. Madlinger and Hanley lead the team with 18 and 14 points respectively, while Trinity faltered and only connected on 29 percent of its field goals.
The Polar Bears continued their success Tuesday against Babson, in which Hanley recorded a double-double in the 73-68 win.
The Polar Bears (12-5, 2-3 NESCAC) are seventh in the NESCAC standings, looking to build upon their two-game winning streak tomorrow against Colby at 4 p.m. in Morrell Gymnasium.
While the Polar Bears beat the Mules 84-68 in a previous game in Waterville, Colby is only one spot behind Bowdoin in the NESCAC standings.
-Compiled by Peter Davis.