The Middlebury men's basketball team captured its second tournament title in as many weekends when it won the Bridgewater State Invitational by defeating Clark (2-2) Sunday by a final of 72-67. Trailing by four, the Panthers (4-0) scored the final nine points in the final minutes for the victory. Middlebury returns to action next Sunday when it hosts Renesslaer for the team's home-opening game at 2:00 p.m.

A see-saw first half saw the game tied three times over the first 11 minutes. With the Panthers clinging to a one-point edge at 22-21 with 8:55 left in the opening stanza, Middlebury rattled off a 14-2 run over the next 3:50 of play. The run was capped off on a three-point field goal from Hunter Merryman. That lead grew to as many as 15 three times over the final minutes, the last coming at 46-31 with 53 seconds remaining on a pair of free throws from Dylan Sinnickson. The Cougars recorded the final four points as Middlebury led 46-35 headed to the halftime break.

Out of the break, Clark slowly chipped away at the Panther advantage cutting the Middlebury lead to nine at 51-42 on a pair of free throws from David Mercier with 16:10 left. Just 3:28 later, Sinnickson gave Middlebury a double-digit advantage once again (55-44) with a jumper at the 12:42 mark.

Over the 10 minutes of play, Clark whittled away the deficit and took its first lead since the early stages of the first half (65-63) on a pair of free throw makes by Mercier at the 2:16 mark. That advantage grew to as many as four at 67-63 on a layup by Mercier with 1:32 left.

However, those were the final points the Cougars scored. Sinnickson converted an old-fashioned three-point play during the Panthers next possession, followed by a jumper with 30 seconds remaining that gave Middlebury the lead for good at 68-67. The Panthers made back-to-back stops on the defensive end as Merryman and Jack Daly each knocked down a pair of free throws in the waning seconds for the final margin.

Sinnickson finished with game-highs in both points with 26 and rebounds with 16, giving him four double-doubles in as many games this season. For his efforts this weekend, where he averaged 23 points and 15 rebounds, Sinnickson was selected as the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Merryman scored 16 in the game to go along with eight rebounds and was also selected to the all-tournament team for the second-straight week, while Connor Huff chipped in with eight. Jake Brown finished with six points and six assists.

Mercier and Nick Daprato paced the Cougars with 14 apiece, while Musler represented Clark on the all-tournament team with a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds to go along with three blocked shots. Tyler Huffman added 11 points.