Defense for CMS locks down Lewis & Clark in 55-34 win

CLAREMONT, Calif. – A two point halftime advantage turned into a double-digit win for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's basketball team, as CMS pulled away in the second half behind its lock-down defense for a 55-34 win over Lewis & Clark in the David Wells Classic on Nov. 28 at the Rains Center. CMS is now 4-1 on the season.

CMS last held an opponent to 34 points or less on Feb. 10, 2010, a 96-28 home win over Caltech. Almost exactly a year earlier, CMS held Occidental to 33 points in a 55-33 win on the road.

At halftime Friday, CMS led 22-20 despite shooting just 30 percent from the field. The Stags put together a great defensive effort in the first half, but in the second half, the Stags' defense took it to another level, holding Lewis & Clark to just three field goals and 11 percent shooting. Also during the second half, CMS found its way offensively, shooting nearly 50 percent from the field.

With 16:24 left in the game, Lewis & Clark moved within a basket at 27-25 after LaDarr Mongkholtham scored. A pair of layups by senior forward Christian Mkpado (CMC) bookended a basket by senior guard Jack Grodahl (CMC) which gave CMS a 33-25 lead with 14:20 remaining.

Those three baskets on consecutive possessions by CMS were the first six points of a 28-9 run in the final 15-plus minutes of the game which put away the win for CMS. Lewis & Clark had just three field goals in the second half – all two-point baskets – and only one field goal in the last 15 minutes of the game which came with 11:27 remaining.

Quiet in the first half in part because of foul trouble, guard Tyler Gaffaney took over offensively in the second half with 18 of his game-high 23 points. He made 7 of his 13 field-goal attempts including two three-pointers, while seven of his points came off of free throws. All told, nine players scored for CMS.

Cannen Roberson led Lewis & Clark with 11 points while Jason Luhnow added 10 rebounds.

CMS is back in action on Nov. 29 vs. Grove City at 5 p.m. to close out the David Wells Classic.

Box score

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