FROSTBURG, Md. – Senior Edwin Cole and junior Lawrence Pettis each poured in a double-double to lead Frostburg to an 87-77 win over Mary Washington on Wednesday in the league opener for both schools.
 
The victory improves the Bobcats to 5-6 overall on the season and they are perfect at home with a 3-0 slate at Bobcat Arena.
 
Frostburg shot nearly 50 percent from the field (31-of-64) and beat Mary Washington (8-4, 0-1) at its own game as FSU knocked down 12 three-pointers, while limiting the Eagles to just 4-of-21 from beyond the arc. UMW entered the evening as the CAC's leader in three-pointers made.
 
Cole scored 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for his third double-double in the last four outings. He also tied a season-best with three three-pointers.
 
Pettis reappeared in the boxscore for the first time in three games and finished with 17 points, while dishing out 11 assists. He connected on three shots from beyond the arc and snared eight rebounds.
 
Junior Daniel Alexander also hit three three-points and tallied 17 points, his ninth-straight game in double figures.
 
The contest featured eight ties and nine lead changes in the first half alone. Alexander hit a three just under two minutes into the game for a quick 8-2 lead for Frostburg, but Mary Washington rebounded to lead by three around the midway point of the stanza.
 
With 3:23 showing in the first, Jacob Williams hit a contested layup in the paint for a four-point cushion for the Eagles at 36-32.
 
Frostburg closed out the half with a three-pointer from Cole and another three from first-year Bo Schene for a 43-39 lead at intermission.
 
The Bobcats never trailed again and Cole hit two free throws at 15:50 as Frostburg posted its first double-digit lead of the game at 52-42. A minute later, first-year Torrin Stephens hit a layup as Frostburg led by 13, 57-44.
 
Mary Washington made a push late in the half with a 9-2 run that cut its deficit to 65-61 at 6:47 when Greg Rowson hit a layup.
 
The Bobcats closed the door on the Eagles with a 12-0 run that covered the next two and a half minutes for a 16-point lead, 77-61. Cole hit two of his threes during the outburst. Meanwhile, Pettis was 4-of-4 at the charity stripe inside the final minute to set the final at 87-77.
 
The Bobcats finished the evening with season-highs in three-pointers (12) and assists (22).
 
Rowson came off the bench to lead UMW with 18 points, behind 10 free throws. Johnny Cronin led the starting lineup with 13 points.
 
The Bobcats return to action this Saturday at St. Mary's (Md.) at 4:00 pm.