BABSON PARK, Mass.—Senior Andrew Kirkpatrick (Winnetka, Ill.) scored 16 of his game-high 20 points in the second half and Babson College closed the game with a 24-8 run to defeat visiting Bates College, 70-59, in non-conference men's basketball action on Thursday night inside Staake Gymnasium.

With its third win in the last four games, Babson improves to 5-3 on the year. Bates had its two-game winning streak snapped and is now 3-3 overall.

Kirkpatrick finished 8-of-15 from the floor and added five rebounds and three assists to pace the Beavers. Sophomore Nate Amado (Hanson, Mass.) contributed 11 points, eight boards, five steals, three assists and two blocks, while first-year Mark Woolhouse (Lebanon, N.J.) added a season-high nine points in the win.

Senior Steph Baxter (Worcester, Mass.) scored 14 of his 19 points in the first half and tied for game-high honors with eight rebounds to lead the Bobcats. Sophomore Jahmir Primer (Hempstead, N.Y.) finished with 15 points and first-year Brady Coyne (Falmouth, Maine) chipped in with 10 points and two steals in the loss.

Trailing 51-46 after Grant Nadeau (Gorham, Mass.) capped an 8-0 Bobcats run by hitting 1-of-2 free throws, the Green and White seized command of the game by outscoring the visitors 18-4 over the next seven minutes. Mason tied the game at 51 with five straight points and Kirkpatrick accounted for 11 of the Beavers' next 13 points to extend the margin to 64-55 with 4:24 remaining.

Primer broke a scoreless drought of over three minutes for Bates with a pair of free throws at the 3:29 mark but Amado answered with a jumper on the ensuing possession. The Bobcats were unable to get any closer than eight over the final three minutes as they committed a pair of turnovers over their final four possessions.

The first half featured seven ties and eight lead changes with neither team leading by more than five. The Green and White got back-to-back three-pointers from graduate student Ryan Cibull (Alameda, Calif.) and a bucket from Woolhouse during an 8-0 run to build a 19-14 advantage at the 10:21 mark. Primer scored five straight points during a 7-2 spurt that gave Bates a 36-31 lead before Woolhouse answered with a triple to send the Beavers into the locker room down just two.

The Green and White shot 42.2 percent from the floor and outscored Bates 24-14 in the paint. The Bobcats shot just 33.3 percent from the floor and finished with a 44-35 edge on the glass.

Babson is back in action next Thursday when it travels to Brandeis at 7 p.m., while Bates takes on Emory on Saturday at 5 p.m. in Waterville, Maine.

GAME NOTES
• The Beavers are now 17-13 all-time against Bates and have won four in a row in the series.
• Babson is now 12-0 at home and 18-6 overall against NESCAC opponents dating back to 2016.
• The Beavers forced 20 turnovers in Thursday's win and are now 4-0 this season and 32-4 dating back to the start of the 2019-19 campaign when their opponents commit at least 16 turnovers.
• The home team has won eight of the last 10 matchups between Babson and Bates.