BANGOR, Maine — The Husson University men's basketball team delivered a hard-fought first-half performance, rallying from an early deficit, but Bates College surged in the second half to hand the Eagles a 90–62 loss on Tuesday night inside Newman Gymnasium.
Bates (3-0) opened the night on a 10–0 run, taking advantage of offensive rebounds and turnovers to establish early momentum. Husson (1-2) responded when freshman Pierce Walston scored in transition off a steal, finally getting the Eagles on the board.
From there, Husson settled in and began to find its rhythm beyond the arc. Sophomore Connor Heald connected twice from deep, and senior Eric Ahlers added five straight points during the comeback effort. Late in the half, junior Andre McCauley buried consecutive three-pointers before Ahlers drilled another, trimming the deficit to three.
With just over a minute to go, senior Ty Henke knocked down a corner three to make it a 30–26 game, and freshman Christian Smith tied the contest at 30–30 with a pair of free throws. Bates, however, scored at the buzzer to take a narrow 32–30 lead into halftime.
The Bobcats opened the second half with another quick burst, hitting a three on the opening possession and continuing to execute efficiently. Bates used its size, rebounding advantage, and transition game to gradually pull away, outscoring Husson 58–32 in the final period.
The Eagles continued to knock down perimeter shots, as Heald stayed hot from deep and finished with five three-pointers on his way to a team-high 17 points. Ahlers added 14 points to go along with seven rebounds and three assists, while McCauley contributed eight points, including two three-pointers. Smith and Walston each added six points, with Walston also grabbing three rebounds.
Husson made 12 three-pointers in the game, but shot 20-for-67 overall, while Bates went 32-for-72 from the field and limited the Eagles' second-chance opportunities. The Bobcats held a 57–35 rebounding edge and received 45 points from their bench, helping them stretch the lead throughout the second half.
Husson returns to the court on Friday, traveling to Waterville to open North Atlantic Conference play at Thomas College at 5:30 p.m.
