The Bard men's basketball team used a big second half to defeat the host Oglethorpe University in the opening match of the Jack Berkshire Classic by an 81-62 score on Friday afternoon in Atlanta, Ga.

In front of a loud contingent of Bard alums and families, the Raptors blew open what had been a tight game at halftime, outscoring the Stormy Petrels 46-26 in the second half. The win was the team's eighth in a row, and Bard will look to extend the streak on Saturday in Atlanta against Belhaven University.

Senior Elliot Harris had 23 points - including seven three-pointers - to lead all scorers. He also added nine rebounds. Fellow seniors Lazaros Panagiotounis and Rowan Heinze each had 15 points, and Heston Tucker added 14 in the victory.

The game was tied at 44 early in the second half, but Bard went on an 11-0 run to take a commanding lead with 12:15 remaining in the game. After Oglethorpe pulled two points back, Harris hit a pair of three pointers to give Bard a 15-point lead. The Raptors continued to get stops on defense and only extended the margin late in the game.

In the first half, the Raptors took the lead early, going ahead by eight with 9:43 remaining when Heston Tucker's jumper gave Bard a 22-14 lead. The Petrels came back with a 10-0 run to take the lead, and led by as many as seven points with 3:19 remaining. Bard regained the lead with eight straight points, including six straight from Tucker, but an Oglethorpe layup gave the hosts a one-point lead at the break.

Bard will face Belhaven University on Saturday to close out the Jack Berkshire Classic at Oglethorpe. The team returns to league play on the weekend of January 5 and 6 with home games against Clarkson and St. Lawrence.