PASADENA — It was one thing to beat Caltech at home (by 26 points at that) in the teams' first meeting, but quite another to beat the Beavers 62-54 tonight at the Braun Center, the site of Caltech's historic win over the Tigers last February that snapped their 310 game losing streak.

Faced with the threat of squandering their lead amid a handful of second half Caltech runs, the Occidental men's basketball team (8-11, 4-5) hung on to secure the win, with a little help from Oxy's baseball team.

The sea of guys wearing orange and black baseball hats couldn't find a spot in the already-packed Caltech stands, so they made their own student section right behind the Tigers' bench, shouting, cheering, clapping, mocking, and doing whatever else they could to give Oxy energy—and to unsettle Caltech (5-15, 0-9).

"The game ball goes to our baseball team," Occidental coach Brian Newhall said. "Their school spirit, enthusiasm and passion were the reasons we left with a win. No baseball team, no win. No doubt in my mind."

Earlier today Newhall threw the first pitch for the baseball game against Whitworth, and the team made the drive to Pasadena to return the favor tonight.

"Tonight's game was the most pure display of Oxy student-athletes supporting each other," Newhall said.

With Oxy committing ticky-tack fouls that gave the Beavers a chance to come back, the baseball team's presence contributed to Oxy's  poise in the final minutes of the game.

After Conrad Liebowitz (Santa Monica) fouled out with seven minutes remaining, and Mike Edwards hit a three big enough to put the game's outcome in doubt with four minutes to go, the Tigers rallied by getting stops, eating clock, and knocking down free-throws to squeak past the Beavers by eight when the buzzer sounded.

Though the Tigers would lead by as many as 15 points in the game, Oxy shook a neck-and-neck opening fifteen minutes where neither team led by more than six, before the Tigers went on an 11-2 run to close the half up by nine. Ty Cobb's (Menlo Park) jumper and a three by Ryan Chong (San Diego) spurred the run.

This offensive surge was emblematic of Oxy's running game tonight, as they controlled the tempo inside via easy layups to take advantage of the smaller Beavers.

Both Deshun McCoy (Los Angeles) and Liebowitz nearly had double-doubles, adding 15 points and 7 rebounds and 13 points and 8 boards respectively.

But Caltech's Alex Runkel put on a clinic inside, powering his way through multiple and-1's to keep Caltech close, scoring 16 points and grabbing a game-high 16 rebounds. Edwards added 17 points and Andrew Hogue tallied 11.

Yet the difference was Oxy's defense, as their fullcourt man-to-man press forced 18 Caltech turnovers. Active Tiger hands led to quick buckets, and luckily for Oxy, three or four players subbed in and out every few minutes to replenish the fast-breaking group.

"All ten guys made a contribution tonight" Newhall said.

"We had some lapses, but we never lost control of the game," McCoy said. "We maintained our intensity on defense, no matter how much Caltech tried to fight back."

"Our toughness allowed us to stay together as a group," Jake Copithorne (Newton Centre, MA) added.

Determined to crack the SCIAC's fourth and final playoff spot, Oxy faces La Verne at home on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

"We will fight for survival on Wednesday. La Verne has two of the best players in the league in Trevor Woodland and Austin Napolitano," Newhall said. "We will have our hands full."