The Middlebury men's basketball team extended its winning streak to 10-consecutive games on Friday night, defeating Colby (7-7, 2-2)  in NESCAC play by a final score of 81-66 at the Margaret M. Crook Center. The Panthers (12-2, 3-0) remain in Maine on Saturday to play at Bowdoin College at 3 p.m.
 
After a back-and-forth opening to the game, the Panthers seized control with a 9-0 run that put them on top 28-20. The run featured baskets from four different players, capped by a layup from Alex Sobel. Sobel added back-to-back layups to break up a short run by Colby two minutes later, putting Middlebury on top 32-25 with 2:24 left in the frame. Colby closed the gap to four points with time winding down, but an off-balance long two-pointer by Noah Osher sent the Panthers to the locker room leading 38-32.
 
Colby opened the second half on a 6-2 run after knocking down consecutive threes, but Middlebury rebounded with a 15-0 stretch of its own. The lengthy run began with a trio of free throws by Sam Stevens. Sobel picked up a block on defense half of the floor, before finishing with a dunk on the other end in transition to push the Panthers ahead by seven, 48-38. Peter Carlson capped the run with a jumper to give Middlebury a 55-38 edge less than seven minutes into the second stanza. The lead continued to grow, reaching a game-high 23 points after six-straight Panther points from three different players. Charley Moore and Osher capped the scoring for Middlebury to keep the lead at 23 late in the game, though Colby closed out the night on an eight-point run with Middlebury squarely in the lead.
 
Sobel logged a game-high 26 points and 16 rebounds for his 10th double-double in 14 games this season. He shot 72.2 percent from the floor, making 13-of-18 on the evening. Stevens contributed 18 points and Osher added 13 for the Panthers.
 
Colby was led by 15 points each from Jack Lawson and Alec McGovern. Noah Tyson had seven points and topped the Mules with six rebounds.
 
Middlebury shot a season-best 54.7 percent from the field, making 35-of-64. Colby shot 38.3 percent overall (23-of-60) and 44.0 percent from three (11-of-25). The Panthers were a perfect 6-for-6 at the free-throw line and dominated on the glass, holding a 39-24 edge in rebounding.