FARMINGTON, Maine - After opening the game on a 16-0 run, the University of Maine at Farmington men's basketball team couldn't hold off a stingy comeback from Bates College on Tuesday evening, dropping a non-conference battle, 87-82, in Dearborn Gymnasium.

The Records:

Farmington dropped to 13-5 overall following the loss, while the Bobcats moved to 14-3 with the win.

How it Happened:

In what was a heavyweight battle from the opening tip, it was the Beavers who threw the first punch. Farmington came out swinging as sophomore guard Zach McLaughlin (Hampden, Maine) had the offense clicking on all cylinders—scoring at the rim, hitting highly contested midrange jumpers, and connecting from beyond the arc. McLaughlin scored 12 of the team's first 16 points, leading a 16-0 run that forced two early Bates timeouts.

After being held scoreless for nearly the first five and a half minutes of the game, Cole Decker connected on a triple to get the Bobcats on the scoreboard for the first time and settle them into the game.

The Beavers continued to push the issue and maintained a double-digit advantage for most of the opening half. Another jumper from McLaughlin just inside the final five-minute mark put Farmington up 34-18. Over the final 4:43 of the first half, Farmington scored just three points as the Bobcats closed on a 14-3 run to cut their deficit to just five heading into halftime. Elliot Cravitz and Sean O'Leary each hit threes to spark the Bobcats' run.

McLaughlin picked up where he left off in the first half, scoring Farmington's first four points of the second half, but was whistled for his third foul in the opening two minutes. He was then assessed a technical foul that put him at four personal fouls with 18:01 left in the game, forcing him to the bench for the next 11 and a half minutes of action.

Despite the game's leading scorer heading to the bench, the Beavers got huge buckets from Kory Donlin (Warren, Maine) and Jason Reynolds (Winslow, Maine), while sophomore point guard Gabe Michaud played the catalyst behind a 10-2 run that helped push Farmington ahead, 52-41.

But Bates didn't go away. O'Leary led the comeback push for the Bobcats, as he was able to get into the paint and use his strength and footwork to finish around the rim. The sophomore scored 17 points in the second half to help Bates chip away.

Back-to-back threes from Cravitz and Brady Coyne tied the game at 67, marking the first time in the game that Farmington didn't hold the lead.

A minute later, Michaud converted a three-point play to put Farmington back up three. The teams continued to trade hoops down the stretch, but after Farmington missed a three at one end, Bates was able to get to the rim in transition and draw a foul that sent Chris Bianco to the free-throw line with the game tied at 78 and 2:15 left to play. Bianco nailed both free throws to give Bates the lead for the first time.

After another Farmington miss, Coyne converted a three-point play on the ensuing Bates possession, completely taking the wind out of the Beavers' sails. Bates hit its free throws down the stretch to ice the game and pick up its 14th win of the season.

Stats of the Game:

Farmington:
Field Goal Pct: 42.9% (30-for-70)
Three-Point Pct: 28.6% (8-for-28)
Free Throw Pct: 77.8% (14-for-18)
Rebounds (Total, Off-Def): 36 (15-21)
Turnovers: 15

Bates:
Field Goal Pct: 43.8% (28-for-64)
Three-Point Pct: 37.9% (11-for-29)
Free Throw Pct: 76.9% (20-for-26)
Rebounds (Total, Off-Def): 36 (12-24)
Turnovers: 15

Leaders - Farmington:

• McLaughlin led all scorers with 26 points, shooting 10-for-19 from the floor, while also grabbing two rebounds and two steals in 25 minutes.
• Donlin was huge off the bench, contributing 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 3-for-5 from three. He also added four rebounds.
• Michaud stuffed the stat sheet, finishing with 10 points, eight rebounds (six offensive), and six assists.
• Reynolds picked up his 16th double-double, totaling 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Leaders - Bates:

• O'Leary led the way for the Bobcats, finishing with 24 points on 9-for-14 shooting to go along with seven rebounds and two steals.
• Bianco scored 14 points off the bench in 22 minutes.
• Jamari Robinson also provided a spark off the bench, finishing with 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting.

UP NEXT

The Beavers will travel to Bangor on Friday for a crucial North Atlantic Conference (NAC) tilt with Husson University. Tip-off is set for 5:30 PM.