LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Feb. 17, 2010) – As the final week of
the 2010 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
season approached, the Occidental College men's basketball
team, sitting in third place, saw themselves with an opportunity to
advance to the Post Season Tournament as they sat in third place.
Tonight, they took one more step in the right direction as they
defeated the University of La Verne 79-62 as the cats battled on
the hardwood.
ULV used an Oxy turnover on the opening possession to take a 2-0
lead, but the Tigers quickly went on an 8-0 run and found a groove.
Shooting 50% from the field, as a team, Oxy held the Leos to just
29% shooting (8-for-28) in the first half behind sold defense that
forced eight ULV turnovers and picked up three blocks.
Offensively, a 16 point half from Deshun
McCoy, including a crowd pleasing put in
off the backboard, while Jack Hanley and
Huston Conti also posted double figures giving the
Black and Orange to a 45-31 lead at the intermission. They led by
as much as 17 in the opening stanza.
The second half was more of the same for the sure-shooting
Tigers who put up another field goal percentage of 50%. With 16:03
remaining in regulation Jake Copithorne layed in a
bucket in the paint to give Oxy a 21-point lead, the largest margin
of the night. While Oxy was on their shooting game, the Leopards
were limited to 27% field goal shooting in the second half.
In a game that saw 46 called fouls, the Tigers executed at the
stripe, going 24-for-28, including 14-for-15 in the first period of
play. Conti went to the line seven times and converted all seven
attempts and Peter Gierlach was also perfect on
the night, going 3-for-3. ULV went to the line 38 times, scoring 21
points, with Matt Heyd putting in nine of 15 chances.
While Hanley led all players with 29 points, McCoy posted a huge
double-double with 18 points and 16 rebounds. Conti rounded out the
double figure scoring for Oxy with 14. Gierlach chipped in with
nine and he and McCoy handed out three assists apiece. Hanley
knocked down 2-for-3 from behind the arc.
On the glass, Oxy came away with 42 rebounds to the
Leopards' 36. Four of the nine offensive boards for the home
team came from McCoy while Brian Schumm came away with four
rebounds on the ULV offensive end of the floor. Conti and Hanley
each pulled down six rebounds tonight and Conti had a game-high
three blocks, adding a pair of steals.
Tonight Claremont-Mudd-Scripps clinched the SCIAC title with a
win over Whittier College. The remaining three spots in the Post
Season Tournament are still up for grabs with four teams in the
hunt.
Occidental (16-7, 8-4 SCIAC) will be back in the friendly
confines of Rush Gymnasium on Saturday evening when they host the
University of Redlands (12-11) in their final home league game of
the season. The Tigers and Bulldogs are tied for second place in
the SCIAC standings with 8-4 league marks. Tip off is slated for
7:30 p.m. following senior recognitions, and the women's
final SCIAC game of the season, which will begin at 5:00 p.m.
Saturday evening will also be “YMCA Night at Oxy”
with a pair of half-time games being played by local YMCA groups.
All YMCA players, wearing their jerseys, along with their families,
will be admitted to the game free of charge.
Article by: Tracy Maple, Sports
Information Director
