Stags Rally To Defeat La Sierra, 58-56

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Senior Dan Winterbottom (Tempe, AZ) knocked down a three-point shot with 11.1 seconds left on the clock, and junior Austin Soldner (Southlake, TX) hit a late free throw to seal a 58-56 win for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags Monday night.

The Stags trailed the Golden Eagles of La Sierra University for a majority of the game, but managed to keep the game close for a hard fought rally in the closing minutes.

Sophomore Conner Faught (Agoura Hills) led the Stags with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Faught was also 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.

Freshman Chris Blees (Carmichael) added 10 points and finished one rebound shy of a double-double to aid the Stags' effort.

Cortez Ward led the Golden Eagles with 22 points.

With 11:13 remaining in the second half, Faught sparked a 12-2 run that gave CMS a three-point lead, the largest margin of the night for the Stags. Faught scored 10 of his 13 points during the run.

However, CMS found themselves trailing 54-48 with just over four minutes remaining in the game. A free throw by Winterbottom and a three-pointer by Soldner brought the Stags to within two at the 1:49 mark. Senior Zach Weismann (Dallas, TX) added two points to tie the game at 54 with just under a minute left.

La Sierra's Ward hit two free throws with 35 seconds left to put the Golden Eagles up by two. The Stags came down the court playing for the last shot when Winterbottom found himself open on the side to sink the go-ahead three pointer.

The Stags hit only four free throws on seven attempts in the game, compared to the Golden Eagles' 13-of-16 mark at the line. 

-CMS-