The Middlebury men's basketball team brought an 18-point second-half deficit to within single digits on Sunday but ultimately fell in an 89-71 defeat against Bates.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The NESCAC foes jockeyed for position early. Knotted at 8-8 with 4:59 elapsed, Sawyer Ramey logged consecutive baskets to push the Panthers ahead by four (12-8).
• Babacar Pouye and David Omasombo joined forces for a 5-0 Bobcat burst over the next 52 seconds, but Kuba Cwalina parried with five points for a 17-13 edge at the 7:31 mark of the opening session.
• Aidan Lawlor connected from range to punctuate a 5-2 Bates surge that sliced the margin to one (19-18). Jackson McKersie countered, tallying a layup and two charity tosses to stretch a 23-18 Middlebury advantage with 10:57 gone.
• The hosts trimmed the game back within one with 8:13 showing after back-to-back layups from Pouye and Peter Psyhogeos. The next basket came nearly two minutes later when Justin Fuerbacher drained a three-pointer to provide a four-point cushion (26-22).
• Bates grabbed the momentum toward the end of the first half, going on a 19-10 jolt over the final 5:19 to carry a 41-36 lead into the break.
• The Bobcats continued to roll early in the second stanza. Pouye made two three-pointers amidst a 9-0 run to grant his side a 50-36 lead through 1:35 of play.
• The sides conceded just five points combined over the ensuing four minutes as the Panthers outpaced their opposition 3-2. The hosts countered, scoring seven of nine in the 90 seconds that followed to grow the lead to 18 (59-41).
• Mark Newell dropped in four points to headline a 6-2 Middlebury jolt, but the Bobcats responded with six of eight to maintain a 67-49 margin.
• The navy and white battled back over the next three minutes, rolling out a 13-4 stretch capped by a Cwalina three-pointer that cut the deficit in half (71-62).
• Psyhogeos and Brady Coyne combined for 13 points in the final five minutes, helping Bates double up the Panthers and finalize the 89-71 decision.

NOTES

• McKersie notched his first career double-double, setting new single-game marks in points (16) and rebounds (11).
• Ramey finished with a season-high 13 points.
• The programs met for the 57th time.

The Panthers return to Pepin Gymnasium on Tuesday to host Vermont State University Johnson at 6:00 p.m.