BABSON PARK, Mass.—Sophomore Nate Amado (Hanson, Mass.) scored a career-high 29 points to lead three players in double figures as Babson College defeated visiting Salve Regina University, 80-72, in non-conference men's basketball action on Saturday afternoon inside Staake Gymnasium.

With the win, Babson improves to 2-0 on the year, while Salve Regina is now 0-2.

Senior Andrew Kirkpatrick (Winnetka, Ill.) finished with 13 points, nine assists and four steals, while first-year Timmy O'Toole (Milton, Mass.) added 12 points, five rebounds and two steals for the Beavers.

Graduate student Mikey Spencer (Abington, Mass.) poured in a game-high 34 points, which included going 11-of-13 at the free throw line, while sophomore Declan Walmsley (Franklin, Mass.) added 10 points, eight rebounds and two assists to pace the Seahawks.

Up two six minutes into the contest, the Green and White used a 14-0 run that included five points from Amado and a three-pointer by first-year Mark Woolhouse (Lebanon, N.J.) to extend the margin 26-12 at the 9:34 mark. Salve Regina responded by outscoring the hosts 26-11 over the next eight-plus minutes to go back in front 38-37 on a three-pointer by Walmsely with 1:02 remaining in the stanza.

Neither team led by more than two over the first seven minutes of the second half before Beavers' graduate student Ryan Cibull (Alameda, Calif.) sparked a 19-0 burst with a three-pointer to put the hosts in front for good. Amado scored four straight points, a dunk by sophomore Parker Mason (Portsmouth, R.I.) made it 62-54 and senior Aaron Gao (Bridgewater, N.J.) and junior John Gorgol (Scottsdale, Ariz.) knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to give Babson its biggest lead of the afternoon at 72-54 with 8:07 remaining.

The Seahawks got as close as 75-68 on a bucket by Spencer with 2:36 left, but Amado answered with a free throw and Kirkpatrick knocked down a jumper two possessions later to extend the lead back to nine with less than 90 seconds to go.

The Beavers shot 45.1 percent from the floor and turned 17 Salve Regina turnovers into 22 points. The Seahawks shot 40.4 percent and outscored the Green and White 20-6 at the free throw line in addition to finishing with a 40-34 edge on the glass.

Babson returns to action on Monday when it travels to No. 13 Saint Joseph (Conn.), while Salve Regina hosts UMass Boston on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

GAME NOTES
• The Beavers are 11-3 all-time against Salve Regina and have won seven of the last eight games between the teams.
• Babson has won 12 of its last 15 games at home and is 96-20 inside Staake Gymnasium dating back to January 2015.
• The Beavers are 14-0 going back to the start of last season when scoring 80 or more points.