BRUNSWICK, Maine - Jack Simonds poured in 32 points to lead the Bowdoin men's basketball team to victory in a back-and-forth 81-71 win against Williams on Saturday night.

The Polar Bears (9-6, 1-2 NESCAC) pulled away late in a contest that saw 13 lead changes. The Ephs (11-4, 1-3 NESCAC) controlled the opening half by shooting 44% from yhree-point range.

Game Highlights

• The teams traded runs in the opening half - the last of which coming by the Ephs, who finished the period on a 7-0 run.
• Cole Teal nailed a three-pointer before the break, Williams' eighth of the half, to take a 38-35 lead at intermission.
• Bowdoin replied with the first seven points of the second half, including five from Simonds, to take a 42-38 lead, only to see Williams answer with a 7-2 surge to regain the lead on a Michael Kempton lay-in.
• The squads went back-and-forth for the next ten minutes and found themselves tied at 64 apiece with 7:51 to go following a Simonds trifecta.
• Simonds gave Bowdoin the lead for good with a three-pointer on Bowdoin's next possession, sparking an 11-2 run that gave the hosts a 72-66 lead with under five minutes to play.
• Williams closed to within three points with under three minutes to play, but Hugh O'Neil made a pair of big buckets down the stretch and Bowdoin hit four free throws in the final minute to seal the victory.

By The Numbers

• Simonds scored 22 of his 32 points in a red-hot second half. He also grabbed seven rebounds and dished out five assists.
• Hugh O'Neil had ten points and a game-high 12 rebounds while Neil Fuller added ten points.
• Daniel Aronowitz scored 17 to lead Williams.
• Bowdoin owned a commanding 40-27 edge in rebounding, converting them into 15 second-chance points.
• The Polar Bears finished at 50% shooting for the game (30-59) while Williams finished at 42% (29-59) from the field.

Up Next

• Bowdoin will return to action next Friday evening at Amherst at 7:00 p.m.