TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — The Bates men’s cross country team placed sixth at Saturday’s NCAA Division III Championship, up one spot from their seventh-place showing a year ago.

With 253 points, the Bobcats repeated as New England’s top team at nationals, trailing winner North Central by 93 points. Bates edged NESCAC rival and seventh-place team Tufts (260) by seven points, tying the 1977 team for Bates’ best team finish ever at the NCAA Championship.

Junior Tully Hannan, Bates’ lone All-American last year, not only repeated but ran the best race of his career, crossing the finish line in fifth place among 275 runners overall. Junior Mike Martin came in second for the Bobcats in 25:21.5, good for 51st place.

Led by senior captain Alicia Fannon, the 17th-ranked Bates womens’ team finished in 19th place. Fannon finished 59th out of 275 runners. Gabby Naranja finished 129th overall.

Men's basketball

WATERVILLE — University of Maine at Farmington was able to hold off University of New England for a 60-58 victory in a men’s basketball contest on the second day of the Charlie Ryan Classic.

Andrew Dickey and Garret Clemer finished with double-doubles for UMF (1-1), while Ben Johnson added 16 points and nine boards. For UNE, Charles Fenner III was second on the team in scoring with 12 points.

Essex 71, CMCC 57

AUBURN — Fatigue after an exciting emotional and physical win the night before caught up with Central Maine Community College, which fell to Northern Essex Community College, 71-57, Saturday.

CMCC never got untracked trailing 40-34 at the break. The Mustangs applied full court pressure throughout the first half and kept the contest close. The Knights, behind solid inside play from Matt Sifferlen and Kyle Davis, dominated the rebounding battle. Stifferlen led the Knights with 16 points. Darrell Wilson hit for nine points for the Mustangs.

Women’s basketball

Western Conn. 69, Bates 62

SALEM, Mass. — Carly Murphy scored 13 of her team-high 16 points, and the Colonials withstood a pair of furious Bates rallies, as Western Connecticut defeated the Bobcats 69-62 in the opening round of the Salem State Tip-Off Tournament. It was the season opener for both teams.

Molly Brown scored a game-high 24 points for the Bobcats. Allie Beaulieu added 13 points for Bate and Julia Rafferty finished with 10 points.