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

NEW LONDON, CONN.—-(2/17/07)--Ryan Cain became WPI’s all-time leading scorer as he led the Engineers with 17 points and head coach Chris Bartley won his 100th career game as WPI beat Coast Guard 67-57 in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) regular season finale for both teams.

Cain entered the game just one point behind WPI career points leader Orville Bailey’s (‘85) 1,757 points. Cain finished the regular season with 1,773 career points. Cain tied and then passed Bailey with on a pair of free throws with 16:10 left in the first half.

WPI, ranked 13th nationally, jumped out to a 7-0 lead and led the entire way for their 21st win of the season. WPI is 21-2 overall and 11-1 in the NEWMAC.

Coast Guard (11-13, 2-10) trailed 29-26 with 6:40 left in the first half before WPI scored nine straight to open up a 38-26 lead with 1:33 left in the half. WPI led 38-29 at halftime.

WPI maintained its lead throughout the second half as the Bears could only get as close as six twice with the last one being, 59-53 with 2:26 left.

Jim Marois had 15 points while Jerome Kirkland added 14 points for WPI, which is the top seed in the NEWMAC Tournament and will earn a bye and host the semifinals and championship game on Saturday and Sunday.

Grant Johnson had a season-high 22 points to lead Coast Guard while Eric Hudson added 15 points for the Bears. Ryan Burgess, the Bears only senior led Coast Guard with eight rebounds in the final home game of his career.

Coast Guard finished the season in seventh place and will play at second seeded Babson in the first round of the NEWMAC Tournament on Wednesday night. The Bears led Babson by eight points with 1:04 left, but lost to the Beavers 62-61 just three days ago.