Jan. 30, 2008

Box Score

BABSON PARK, Mass. - The Babson College men's basketball team hit a season-high 12 three-pointers on its way to a hard-fought 78-70 win over the visiting United States Coast Guard Academy in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) matchup at Staake Gymnasium on Wednesday night. With the win, the Beavers improved to 6-11 overall and 3-3 in the conference, while the Bears dropped to 11-5 overall and 2-4 in the NEWMAC.

Senior Brian MacDonald (Beverly, Mass.) led all scorers with 20 points in the win for Babson, as he hit 8-of-14 from the floor, including 4-of-8 from long range. Senior tri-captain Kyle McDonald (Wethersfield, Conn.) shot 5-for-9, including a 3-for-5 clip from beyond the arc, and 5-for-6 from the line for 18 points while also dishing out eight assists, and sophomore Zach Etten (Hollis, N.H.) shot 4-for-6, including 3-for-5 from three-point range, and 4-for-4 from the stripe for 15 points. The Beavers also received a magnificent performance off the bench from first-year guard Shelton Ladson (New York, N.Y.), as he recorded nine points and seven rebounds in just 14 minutes, including two huge buckets during a pivotal stretch late in the game.

Coast Guard had four players in double-figures, led by senior Jeff Prebeck (Columbus, Ind.), who netted 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Senior Al Sowers (Monrovia, Md.) added 16 points, junior Craig Johnson (Medford, Ore.) chipped in with 13 points, six rebounds, and six assists, and senior Grant Johnson (Grayson, Ga.) tossed in 10 points in defeat. The Bears outshot the Beavers, hitting 51.8 percent (29-56) of their attempts, but were done in by 14 turnovers compared to just four for Babson.

A three-pointer by Sowers gave Coast Guard a 22-21 advantage with 7:18 left in the first half, but the Beavers took the lead for good with a 9-0 run over the next 90 seconds. Ladson kicked it off with a three-pointer with 6:54 to go, and Etten drained back-to-back treys over the next minute to give the hosts a 30-22 cushion. The Bears would eventually whittle the lead down to three after a lay-up by Prebeck made it 35-32 with 3:07 remaining, and neither team would score in the final three minutes as Babson took a three-point edge into the locker room.

The Beavers claimed their largest lead of the game when sophomore Peter Skogg (Orange, Conn.) hit a lay-up to make it 51-40 with 12:51 left in the second half, and they matched that 11-point advantage again when Skogg knocked down a three-pointer to make it 54-43 with 11:52 remaining. However, the Bears would remain in the game behind their stellar offensive rebounding, as they converted second-chance baskets on three straight possessions to get within seven, 56-49.

Later in the half, a quick 7-0 spurt that was capped by a Jevon James (St. Thomas, Virgin Islands) lay-up with 6:42 left pulled Coast Guard to within just two, 58-56, but the Bears would get no closer as Brian MacDonald and Ladson both came up with clutch shots to keep the visitors at bay. First, MacDonald rattled off six straight points to push Babson's advantage to 64-56 with 4:26 left to play, and, after Coast Guard cut it back to within three, Ladson knocked down a jumper and then hit a lay-up to make it 68-61 with 2:30 on the clock. Sowers came back with a bucket with just over two minutes remaining for Coast Guard, but Kyle MacDonald drained the three from the left corner with 1:42 left to all but put the game away. The Beavers converted seven of nine from the line in the final 1:15 to claim the 78-70 conference victory.

Both teams return to action with NEWMAC home games this Saturday. Babson plays host to Clark University at 1 p.m., while Coast Guard welcomes WPI at 2 p.m.