United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Men's Basketball

NEW LONDON, CONN.—-(2/7/07)--Peter Normandin had 16 points and a game-high 14 rebounds as Clark, which led by as many as 16 in the second half, held off a fierce Coast Guard comeback and held on to beat the Bears 55-53 in a New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) game.

Coast Guard led early 9-8 before Clark (9-12, 3-6) scored eight straight taking a 16-9 lead with 9:14 left in the first half. The Cougars later used a 10-1 run to take a 30-15 lead with 2:31 left in the half. Clark led 32-19 at the break. The Cougars dominated the boards in the first half outrebounding Coast Guard 33-15, including 17 offensive rebounds. Normandin had 12 points and 12 rebounds in the first half.

Clark pushed the lead to 16 at 40-24 with 17:33 left before the Bears used a 17-5 spurt to pull to within 45-41 with 9:11 remaining.

The Bears (11-11, 2-8) would cut the lead to three at 47-44 on three-pointer by Stefan Lewis with 6:32 left, but Pat Landers answered with a three of his own with 5:16 left.

Al Sowers made a pair of free throws with 4:07 left as the Bears pulled to within two at 50-48 before D.J. Brinn hit a three-pointer, his only points of the night, with 3:06 left and Clark led 53-48.

Ryan Burgess had a three-point play with 2:32 left to pull the Bears back to 53-51.

Mark Alexander made a pair of free throws with 2:27 left for the Cougars to push the lead to 55-51.

Steve Blum was fouled and made the basket, but missed the foul shot and the Bears trailed 55-53 with 1:54 left.

Coast Guard missed a three-pointer in the closing seconds to win the game.

Sowers led Coast Guard with 19 points while Jeff Prebeck the nation’s leading rebounder and the team’s leading scorer was held to a season-low five points and seven rebounds.

Clark continued its dominance on the boards throughout the second half as they outrebounded Coast Guard 50-26 in the game with 21 offensive rebounds.

Coast Guard, which has dropped five of its last six, struggled from the foul line making just 13 of 22 for the game.