STANDISH — Zavier Rucker scored a game-high 23 points as the Bowdoin College men’s basketball team coasted past Saint Joseph’s College on Tuesday night, 93-80.
The Polar Bears improved to 8-5, while the Monks fell to 12-3.
The teams traded buckets throughout a competitive first half that saw seven ties and eight lead changes. Eight straight points by Monk Tatsuaki Sakai gave the hosts their largest lead of the game, 22-17, with 6:18 left in the opening period.
A trifecta by David Reynolds sparked a 10-3 run for Bowdoin that regained the lead for the Polar Bears. Bowdoin closed the half on an 11-2 surge to take a 38-31 edge at the break.
The Polar Bears put the game away early in the second half, scoring the first 12 points out of halftime to take a commanding 50-31 lead just four minutes into the frame.
Bowdoin extended the lead to as many as 20 points in the second half before settling for the 13-point margin of victory.
Rucker matched his career high, which he had done twice already earlier this season, while also adding six rebounds, five assists and two steals. Reynolds netted four 3-pointers and ended with 20 points, while Jack Simonds had 13.
Drew Gagnon (11) and Sam Grad (10) had double figures off the bench for Bowdoin.
Jack Casale had 20 points and 10 rebounds in the loss for the Monks.
Bowdoin finished at 48.6-percent shooting and connected on 17-of-19 from the free-throw line.
Bowdoin returns to NESCAC play on Saturday as the Polar Bears head north to play Colby in Waterville at 3 p.m.
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