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

NEW LONDON, CONN.--(2/16/08)--Senior Al Sowers led all scorers with 14 points to go with his game-high four assists leading Coast Guard to its fourth straight win, a 50-44 victory over Babson in a New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) game.

Coast Guard (15-6, 6-5) takes over sole possession of second place with just one league game to play while Babson (8-14, 5-5) drops a half game behind the Bears with two games left on their conference schedule.

Babson (8-14, 5-5) led 10-9 with 10:47 left in the first half before Coast Guard used a 10-3 run, the final two baskets by senior Jeff Prebeck to take a 19-13 lead with 2:52 left in the half. Coast Guard led 25-18 at the break.

The Beavers cut the Coast Guard lead to two on four different occasions in the second half, the last one being 37-35 following a three-point play by senior Greg Bush with 8:51 left. Coast Guard then outscored Babson 11-2 as senior Grant Johson, Sowers and sophomore Stefan Lewis all hit 3-pointers and the Bears led 48-37 with 3:48 left.

Babson did not go quietly scoring the next seven points on a 3-pointer by senior Greg Bush and a pair of hoops by freshman Sheldon Ladson, pulling the Beavers to within 48-44 with 1:48 left, but Babson would not score again.

The Bears, who snapped five-game losing streak against Babson in regular season play, shot 44.2 percent from the floor (19-43) and 38.9 from 3-point range (7-18). Babson shot 32.1 percent from the field (17-53) and just 2 for 19 from 3-point range (10.5 percent).

Grant Johnson added 10 points for Coast Guard while Craig Johnson had nine points and a team-high seven rebounds.

Junior Zach Etten led Babson with 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.