Stags host block party in Caltech win

CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's basketball team (10-1, 3-0) protected its conference record with authority, blowing out Caltech 78-53 on Saturday night. The Stags stifled the Beavers (3-9, 2-1) on the defensive end, recording seven blocks and steals and allowing only eight field goals inside the arc. While the Stags shot 55.4 percent from the floor, the Beavers struggled to find their rhythm and shot only 30.8 percent.

"Tonight our team wasn't about one player," praised Head Coach Ken Scalmanini. "All five guys on the floor played great team defense and we were able to take away their [Caltech's] five players on offense. "

The usual suspects led the Stags in scoring tonight as senior Scott Lynds (CMC) dropped 17 points while junior Michael Scarlett (CMC) scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Junior Jack Ely (CMC) made several impact plays on the defensive end, recording four steals and two blocks off the bench. David LeBaron led the Beavers with 12 points, six rebounds, and a steal. 

The two teams appeared to be toe-to-toe in the start of the opening half as they traded baskets in the opening eight minutes. However, the CMS bench proved to be the difference maker as sophomore Evan Davis (CMC) knocked in back-to-back shots from beyond the arc to give CMS the 21-14 lead. With 8:22 left in the half, Ely flashed his defensive prowess to extend the lead when he stole the ball from Caltech's big man Calvin Huh and went coast-to-coast for a layup, getting fouled during the shot. The junior made the extra basket to give CMS the 26-17 lead. Scarlett made a three-pointer with a minute left to maintain the lead 35-27 before halftime.

More than three minutes into the second half, the Stags broke out on a 15-2 run. After Scarlett scored a layup, Lynds eluded defenders in the paint twice for back-to-back layups. In the following play, Ely found Lynds off a backdoor cut with a no-look pass for another easy basket. Later during the same run, freshman Jeremy Horn (CMC) came off the bench and brought some offensive spark, sizing up on his defender for a nifty hook shot. On the next possession, Ely found Horn with another no-look pass as the freshman made the layup with ease. The bench got off its seat after Horn's second basket as the Stags held a 54-35 lead with less than 13 minutes left.

"Jeremy came in with some quality minutes," said Coach Scalmanini. "When he does something well the team gets off the bench. When the team gets excited for his play, you know you have a special kid."

An 8-0 run sparked by Davis' third three-pointer of the night, gave CMS a 64-40 lead and putting the game out of reach with less than eight minutes left in the game.

The Stags will have another extended break before they host Occidental College on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. The two teams split their series last season, with CMS having won the last meeting on Feb. 6, 2016 in a thrilling 69-66 overtime victory.  

Box Score

By Young Kim
Sports Information Assistant

CMS Email Updates
CMS Athletics on Facebook: AthleticsCMS
CMS Athletics on Twitter: AthleticsCMS
CMS Athletics on Instagram: cmsathletics
CMS Athletics YouTube: ClaremontMuddScripps
#goathenas    #gostags