After a disappointing weekend with two NESCAC losses, men’s basketball hosted Middlebury (16-6 overall, 3-5 NESCAC) last Sunday. The Polar Bears (15-6 overall, 5-3 NESCAC) came out eager to get back on track after two straight NESCAC losses and fought their way to a commanding 88-70 win.
Determined to bounce back from their drop in the standings, The Polar Bears leapt out to a 12-3 lead to start the game.
From there, despite good efforts from the visiting Panthers, the Polar Bears never looked back and did not relinquish their lead for the remainder of the contest.
Once again the scoring charge was led by Lucas Hausman ’16 and John Swords ’15, who scored 21 and 20 points respectively. Captain Bryan Hurley ’15 contributed 17 points, including an impressive 15 coming from behind the arc.
Each time Middlebury inched back into the game, the Bowdoin shooters pushed the lead out of reach. The Panthers could not match the offensive efficiency of the Polar Bears. Bowdoin was able to shoot 52 percent from the field while holding Middlebury to only 39 percent.
This statistic was achieved not only through outside shooting but also largely from Bowdoin’s dominance around the basket from big men Swords and Matt Palecki ’16. The Polar Bears outscored Middlebury 48-20 in the paint.
Turnovers also proved to be key in the game. Bowdoin converted 15 points off turnovers compared to only two from the Panthers.
The team is still trying to find its rhythm after the season-ending concussion that Keegan Pieri ‘a’15 suffered two weeks ago knocked him out of the lineup.
This gap has left a void in the roster that has forced other players to step up. The load has largely been placed on the shoulders of forward Palecki who rose to the challenge this weekend, dominating the glass both offensively and defensively, corralling eight rebounds and scoring 13 points.
“It was huge for our confidence” said Palecki. “That was a must win game. The fact that we came out flying right off the bat and played well shows that even through all the injuries and mixing lineups that we are a good team.”
The win brought Bowdoin’s current record to 5-3 in the NESCAC, which ties them for fourth in the standings with Tufts. Bowdoin’s two remaining league games are tonight against second place Bates (6-2 NESCAC, 17-4 overall) and tomorrow at 2 p.m. against Tufts (5-3 NESCAC, 12-10 overall).
The Polar Bears will seek revenge for their 71-51 loss at Bates earlier this season. However, this contest will be held at home, away from the notoriously disruptive Bates crowd, which could give the Polar Bears the edge necessary to come through with a win.
Tufts has historically proven to be a tough opponent as the seniors on the team have yet to beat the Jumbos in a league game.
“They always have our number” said Palecki.
However, this trend will not prevent the Polar Bears from operating at a high level throughout the contest. Despite the past, both of this weekend’s games are must wins if the Polar Bears want to ensure a home playoff spot at the end of the season.