BABSON PARK, Mass.—Senior Tom Killian (Summit, N.J.) exploded for a game-high 27 points, and sophomore Connor Green (Bedford, N.H.) added 26 points and a game-high eight rebounds, helping seventh-ranked Amherst College defeat Babson College, 90-77, in non-conference men's basketball action on Thursday night at Staake Gymnasium.

With its second straight victory, Amherst moves to 7-1 on the season, while the loss snapped a three-game winning streak for Babson, which drops to 7-2 overall.

Senior Aaron Toomey (Greensboro, N.C.) contributed 23 points, a team-high eight assists, and four boards for the Lord Jeffs, who shot 55.6 percent (28-for-47) from the floor, and 47.8 percent (11-for-23) from three-point range. First-year David George (Philadelphia, Pa.) blocked a game-high seven shots.

Junior John Wickey (Manchester, N.H.)  led the Beavers with 19 points, and first-year Joey Flannery (Acton, Mass.) added 17 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Senior Kenny Ross(Furlong, Pa.) scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half, and dished out a game-high nine assists, while junior Eric Dean (Gilford, N.H.) chipped in with 10 points and six boards.

Killian buried four early three-pointers and scored 16 of Amherst's first 19 points, giving the Lord Jeffs a six-point lead on his dunk with 14:15 to go in the opening period. Babson countered with an 11-4 run, getting six points from Wickey and five from Dean, to take its first lead of the night at 24-23 with 11:32 remaining in the first half.

A pair of buckets from Killian, sandwiched around two free throws from Green, put the visitors back in front 29-24, but the Beavers scored on three of their next four possessions, capped by a layup from Dean following a Ross steal to go back in front 31-29. Toomey scored 11 points over the final 3:49 of the stanza, drilling three triples to go along with a pair of free throws, as Amherst took a 46-43 lead into the break.

The Lord Jeffs opened their biggest lead of the game at 50-43, getting back-to-back layups from senior David Kalema (Burke, Va.) and Killian to open the second half. First-year Sam Bohmiller (Franklin, Mass.) twice cut the deficit to two midway through the period, and the Beavers took their first lead of the stanza after junior David Mack (Holden, Mass.) converted a feed from Dean to make it 62-61 with 9:10 left in the game.

With the game tied at 66-66 with 6:47 to go, Amherst used a decisive 15-1 spurt to take control. Killian finished an easy layup and Green and Toomey followed with back-to-back three-pointers to make it 74-66 with 5:10 remaining. Ross made a free throw, but Green followed with seven straight points, capped by a corner three, to put the Lord Jeffs up 81-67 with 3:08 left.

The Beavers pulled within 81-72 after Bohmiller three-pointer, but Amherst sealed the win by draining nine of its last 10 free throws.

The Green and White, which shot 43.3 percent (29-for-67) on the night, held a 16-10 edge in points off turnovers and 13-11 advantage on second-chance points. The Lord Jeffs outrebounded the Beavers 39-33.

Babson returns to action on Monday, December 30, when it hosts Colorado College at 2 p.m., while Amherst will travel to face Nova Southeastern on Monday, January 1, also at 2 p.m. 

GAME NOTES: The Beavers are now 12-21 all-time against Amherst…Babson is now 6-1 on the year when scoring 70 points or more…The Beavers have made at least eight three-pointers in nine consecutive games to start the season…Babson's eight turnovers were a season-low.