WHITTIER, Calif. (Feb. 14, 2009) – Occidental started hot, but the Poets quickly turned an eight point deficit into an advantage as they handed the Tigers a 64-49 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference loss and for all intents and purposes ended the Oxy hopes of advancing to the 2009 SCIAC Post Season Tournament.

Five minutes into the game Oxy led 14-6 before senior Poet Marcus Gibson's three-pointer sparked a 30-1 Whittier run. Although the Tigers shot 52.6% from the field in the opening half, they took just 19 shots (making 10) and trailed 40-26 at the break.

In the second half tempers were flaring and the game got physical while the crowd got loud as the rivals continued to battle on the court. Michael Archuletta, who led all players with 21 points (8-for-12 shooting going 3-for-3 from long range and 2-for-2 from the line), fouled out with just over four and a half minutes to play.

Turnovers were a difference maker again tonight as Whittier used 22 Tigers' turnovers to score 28 points. Oxy was able to force 13 turnovers by the Poets, but scored just seven points, all in the first half.

Occidental got 12 points from Jack Hanley on 4-for-7 shooting, 2-for-4 from three-point range and Sean Anderson scored 10 points on 3-for-4 shooting from the field.

Each team grabbed 27 rebounds, but Oxy managed to come down with just five offensive boards (two from Anderson). Keegan Hoover led all players with eight rebounds for Whittier and Clark Gordon pulled down six in just 13 minutes of action to lead the Tigers. Justin Goltz finished with five and a block as well as a pair of assists.

Whittier (14-8, 8-3 SCIAC) has three other players in double figures as Hoover, David Hayashi and Jeff McLean chipped in with 10 points apiece. As a team they shot 84.6% from the free throw line and were a perfect 8-for-8 in the opening half.

While there is still a slight hope that Occidental will get into the tournament, with three games remaining, one Whittier victory or one Oxy loss would give WC a clinch of at least the fourth spot.

The Tigers fall to 9-13, 5-6 entering the home stretch. Oxy will be on the road again Wednesday evening when they play Caltech at Braun Gymnasium in Pasadena, Calif. with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m.