KINGS POINTS, N.Y. – Merchant Marine scored five free throws in the final minute as the Mariners slipped past Coast Guard 50-47.

With the loss the Bears fall to 3-4 on the season while Merchant Marine earns their second win of the year improving to 2-7. With the win the Mariners tie the Superintendent's Cup standings up at 3.5.

Freshman Max Lampe led all Coast Guard players with 12 points. Junior Micah Baldez scored nine points and added nine rebounds, while freshman Patrick Witkowski added eight points and five rebounds.

Matt Miller scored a game high 20 points with two steals, a block and four rebounds for Merchant Marine. Connor Green chipped in nine points with five rebounds while Christian Wittendorf had a team high seven rebounds and five points.

Both teams started the game slow as freshman Aaron Anthony's jumper made the score 9-5 in favor of the Bears with 11:11 to go in the first half.

Merchant Marine took a four point lead with under five to go in the period when Robbie Kennedy dropped in a layup to make the score 20-16.

The first half ended tied at 24 with both teams struggling to score in the period as Coast Guard was 7-27 (25.9%) and the Mariners were 9-26 (34.6%).

Merchant Marine took a five point lead midway through the second half as Wittendorf received a pass from Kennedy and knocked down a jumped making the score 32-27.

The Bears continued to hang around and took their first lead of the half with when Baldez found freshman Justin Kane with a pass who banged in a jumper putting Coast Guard ahead 42-41 with 3:23 to go in the game.

After falling behind again in the closing minutes Lampe drained a three pointer followed by a Kane layup making the score 47-45 with 58 seconds on the clock.

However, Kennedy and Miller combined for five points from the foul line in the final minute and Merchant Marine held on to the 50-47 victory.

Coast Guard shot 24.6% (16-65) from the floor and were 5-37 (13.5%) from beyond the arc. The Mariners were 18-50 (36.0%) overall and shot 20% (4-20) from three.

Neither team dominated any specific statistical category as the Bears held a slim advantage in bench point (16-8) while the Mariners were slightly better in the paint (18-14).

Coast Guard is back in action on Saturday, December 17, when they host Maine-Presque Isle in non-conference action. Tip-off is 2:00.