SPRINGFIELD, Mass.   -   The Coast Guard Academy men's basketball team fell in NEWMAC action tonight at Springfield College, 80-93. Coast Guard battled back to take a second half lead in their quest for a repeat of their home win against the Pride earlier this season but were unable to hold back an ensuing Springfield rally.

The Bears move to 8-14 (4-9 NEWMAC), while Springfield improves to 10-12 (7-6 NEWMAC) and avenges their prior loss to Coast Guard. The Pride will trek to Boston this Saturday, February 15th to face Emerson (10-12, 5-8 NEWMAC); Springfield prevailed over the Lions, 81-75, in the two teams' first match-up this season.

A fastbreak three-pointer by junior shooter Trevor Parks (Oldsmar, Fla.) gave Coast Guard a 17-11 lead with just over ten minutes to play in the first half, but the Pride would score on their next three possessions to go up 19-17. Springfield would maintain the lead for the rest of the period, taking a 43-33 advantage into halftime. The Pride shot 18-30 (60.0%) while limiting the Bears to 13-41 (31.7%).

The two teams traded scores through the first five minutes of the second half before a 10-0 rally by Coast Guard got the visitors back on top, 54-50, with 13:12 on the clock. Springfield would respond with a run of their own, scoring 15 unanswered points to regain the advantage before a Bears layup by senior guard Declan Rooney (Seattle, Wash.) put a stop to the streak at 9:11, with the score being 65-56.

The hosts would not relinquish the lead for the rest of the night. The Bears shot an improved 15-34 (44.1%) and were unable to get the deficit lower than six, due in part to Springfield shooting 13-24 (54.2%) from the field and 10-20 (50.0%) on three-pointers during the final 20 minutes. The contest saw physical play throughout as the two teams combined for 38 fouls. Coast Guard saw four men get whistled at least three times while the Pride had three, including a foul-out by junior guard John Paulino (New Bedford, Mass.).

Junior forward Luke Farrell (Ortley Beach, N.J.) led Coast Guard in scoring with a game-high 24 points (9-19 FG, 1-1 3PT, 5-6 FT) while recording two blocks and two steals. He was followed-up by Rooney, who had 21 points, six rebounds, and a team-high four assists. Parks splashed a trio of three-pointers for his nine points while pulling down a team-high seven rebounds. Freshman guard Colin Huang (Irvine, Calif.) was a pest again on defense throughout the night, picking the Pride's pockets for a game-high and career-high three steals.

Springfield was led on both ends of the court by junior forward Josiah Evely (Toronto, Ontario), who scored 21 points (8-11 FG, 3-4 3PT, 2-2 FT) while recording three blocks and a steal. Freshman guard Cedric Rodriguez (Burlington, Mass.) wasn't far behind with 19 points and a game-high eight rebounds. Graduate student guard Jarron Flynn (Roslindale, Mass.) had 17 points while sophomore guard Rashard Samuels (Upper Marlboro, Md.) had 13 with a game-high six assists.

The Bears look to shake it off this Saturday as they head to Norton, Massachusetts to face Wheaton College. The Lyons handed Coast Guard a 64-70 loss in the two teams' first meeting this season in New London. Senior guard Ben Yagey (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) had a game-high 18 points while Farrell was a nightmare on defense amassing two steals and three blocks.