Box Score

LEWISTON, Maine -- Senior forward Brian Ellis (Braintree, Mass.) scored 16 points to help Bates College halt a three-game losing streak with a 71-58 non-conference men's basketball win over the University of New England on Wednesday evening at Alumni Gymnasium.

Ellis tallied 10 points after halftime and finished with three assists and three steals. Senior forward Alex Gallant (Bangor, Maine) contributed 12 points, while junior forward John Squires (Swampscott, Mass.) came off the bench to score 10. Six-foot-seven senior forward Nick Schmiemann (Weymouth, Mass.) grabbed a team-best 10 rebounds for Bates, now 8-4.

First-year guard Charles Fenner (Bronx, N.Y.) poured in a game-high 22 points in just his second collegiate outing to lead the way for the Nor'easters (2-10). He was 6-for-11 from the floor and 7 of 8 at the line. Fenner made a trio of shots from beyond the arc.

Junior forward Jordan Stinglen (South Berwick, Maine) recorded a double-double with 10 points and a career-high 10 boards. Senior guard Chas Rentrope (Peoria, Ariz.) scored 12 points and picked up five steals.

Both teams struggled to get their offenses cranked up in the early stages of the contest. With the scored tied at 10 seven minutes in, the Bobcats scored eight consecutive points to grab the lead for good.

Bates would continue to surge, forging a 37-22 lead on a layup by senior guard Thomas Deegan (Weymouth, Mass.) at the 4:33 mark. UNE got a pair of buckets from Stinglen late in the frame to help cut into the deficit and trailed 38-28 at the break.

After a layup by Stinglen opened the second-half scoring, the home team went on a 7-0 run to extend its advantage to 15 (47-32).

Big Blue would chip away over the ensuing 10 minutes, getting as close as four (55-51) on a three-ball by junior Marcus Winn (Austin, Texas) with 6:23 left on the clock.

Bates responded with eight consecutive points to thwart UNE's comeback bid and put the game away.

Both teams head back to action Saturday. The Nor'easters open The Commonwealth Coast Conference play by hosting New England College at 3 p.m. The Bobcats entertain in-state rival Colby College at 4 p.m.