LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Jan. 13, 2010) – An undefeated
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference record and
round one of league play was on the line for both teams tonight as
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps travelled to Eagle Rock with an identical
9-3 overall, 1-0 SCIAC record, as Occidental College. A slow start
for the Tigers, who shot just 27% from the field in the first half
was too much to overcome as the Stags snapped the Tigers'
four-game win streak with a 66-58 win at Rush Gymnasium tonight
before an energetic crowd.
The only time Oxy led was when Eric Leider hit
a three-pointer less than a minute into the game. CMS then used a
13-2 to build a sizeable lead and control the momentum of the
contest. In early foul trouble, Jack Hanley, one
of the Tigers' leading scorers, was lifted and saw just eight
minutes of action. At the 6:38 mark in the opening stanza the Stags
opened an 11- point lead and built it to as much as 18, but
Occidental scored the final five points of the half to trail just
34-21 at the intermission.
A focused Tigers' team came back for the second half and
pulled the game within four at 43-39 thanks to another Leider
three. Unfortunately for the Black and Orange, that was as close as
they would get as CMS used another 11-2 run to swing the game back
into their own hands. Although Oxy was within six points with 1:42
to play, the Stags converted 5-for-6 free-throws down the stretch
and the Tigers' shooting continued to be slightly off despite
having ample opportunities.
In the second half, Oxy shot better, at 40% from the field, but
CMS finished 49% overall from the floor and knocked down 8-for-15
three-point attempts while the Tigers were just 5-for-21. With just
over four minutes to play in regulation Hanley fouled out.
Oxy poured in 18 points in the pain in the final period to
finish with 20. CMS scored 24 points in the paint with 12 in each
half.
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (10-3, 2-0 SCIAC) also pulled down more
rebounds than Oxy, 36-24, but the Tigers grabbed 23 in the
second-half, with nine coming on the offensive end of the floor,
which they turned into 11 points. CMS had just seven offensive
rebounds.
Overall, Oxy took care of the ball tonight, with just seven
turnovers, while supplying 14 assists, Hanley credited with five.
Leider had four to go along with his 15 points while Sean
Anderson also finished with 15. Deshun
McCoy poured in eight points and came away with a
game-high 10 rebounds. Anderson and Leider had six rebounds apiece
and Anderson came away with a pair of blocks while McCoy and
Peter Gierlach finished with one apiece.
Chris Blees, the 2009 SCIAC Player of the Year, scored a
game-high 16 points, adding a team-high eight rebounds and five
assists for CMS. Jason Toney had a solid night all around for CMS
tonight as well with 13 points, five assists, five rebounds and
four steals.
Occidental (9-4, 1-1) will travel to Thousand Oaks, Calif. on
Saturday to take on the Cal Lutheran University Kingsmen (7-6, 1-1)
who were defeated 66-61 by the University of La Verne tonight.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. following the women's game
at 5:00 p.m.
