United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Men's Basketball - RIC overcomes 19-point deficit to beat Bears

NEW LONDON, CONN.--(12/12/06)--Rhode Island College scored the final 11 points of the first half and came back from an 19 point first half deficit to beat Coast Guard 76-71 for its fourth straight win in a non-conference game.

RIC (7-1) took the lead for good, 70-68, on a three-pointer by Cameron Stewart with 1:10 left. Bobby Bailey went four-for-four from the foul line to ice the game and increase the lead to 74-68 with 27 seconds left.

Coast Guard (6-3) got off to a great start jumping out to an 8-2 lead and the Bears took their largest lead of the game 41-22 on a basket by Ryan Burgess with 5:30 left in the first half.

RIC held the Bears to one field goal in the final 5:30 of the half outscoring Coast Guard 16-4 including the final 11 points of the half to close to within 45-38 at the break. Both teams shot well in the first half as the Bears shot 56 percent (19 of 34) while RIC shot 50 percent (16 for 32).

RIC took its first lead of the game 56-53 on a three-pointer by Tirrell Hill with 11:03 left in the game. Coast Guard scored seven straight capped by an Al Sowers three-point play for a 60-56 lead with 9:27 left.

The Anchormen tied the game again at 65-65 on a basket by Kinsey Durgin with 5:08 left.

Bailey and Durgin each had 14 points to lead the Anchormen while Stewart (13) and Hill (12) were also in double figures for RIC. Bailey led the way with a game-high six assists.

Sowers had a season-high 23 points, including four three-pointers,he also moved into third place on the Bears all-time assists list with 256 with three tonight.

Jeff Prebeck had his eighth straight double-double as he had 16 points while tying a season-high with 19 rebounds for the second straight game.

Coast Guard was just eight of 31 (25.8 percent) from the floor in the second half while RIC was 14 of 27 (51.9 percent).