BRANDON - The Brandon Bobcats dropped a 72-65 decision against the Alberta Golden Bears on Friday night in Canada West men's basketball action at the Healthy Living Centre.
 
The Bears grabbed a five-point lead at the end of the first quarter and held a 30-28 advantage at the halftime break.
 
Alberta held their largest lead of the game at 14 points early in the third and they closed the quarter on a 5-0 run to go up 53-42.
 
The Bears maintained their double-digit lead for much of the fourth before Brandon chipped away at the deficit to trail by four in the final moments, but could get no closer.
 
Brody Clarke had a clutch performance for Alberta with a game-high 30 points as the Bears improved their conference record to 6-and-6.
 
Earl Thompson Jr. finished with a double-double for the Bobcats with a team-high 28 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
 
"It is hitting shots when we need too. Hitting the big ones, the turning points," said Thompson Jr. "We are getting stops and we are executing, but we are just not hitting the shots when we need them."
 
Troy Grant got 12 points in a losing cause as Brandon slipped to 0-and-11 on the season.
 
The rematch between the Bobcats and Bears goes at 7 p.m. on Saturday.