Stags Hold Off Panthers, Top Chapman on the Road

ORANGE, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's basketball team trailed by as many as 12 points in the opening half, but battled back to take a lead at the break and eventually held off the Chapman Panthers on the road 70-63. Scott Lynds (CMC) and Michael Scarlett (CMC) led the Stags on the afternoon, pouring in 41 combined points with Scarlett dropping 21 and Lynds accounting for 20.

The game was tight throughout, but it was especially close in the middle of the second-half. CMS held a slim lead for a majority of the period, but Chapman took a 44-41 lead following a 6-0 run with 12:19 remaining in the game.

The Stags battled back and held a 56-54 lead with just over three minutes left. Scott Lynds knocked down a three from the left wing to start a 14-9 CMS run to close out the game and give the Stags the victory.

The game opened with the Stags holding a 9-8 lead after six and a half minutes of play. The Panthers then went on a 13-0 run and just four minutes later held a 21-9 lead with 8:29 left to play in the half.

At the eight-minute mark, Jack Ely (CMC) made a free throw to end the Chapman run and start a comeback for the Stags. Nearly six minutes later, a layup from Scott Lynds tied the game at 25-25 with just over two minutes remaining in the half. CMS continued their run into the half and held a 31-27 lead at the break.

Two threes from Scarlett in the first 90 seconds of the second-half helped the Stags take a 39-30 lead early in the period. The Panthers countered with 14-2 run to take the lead back at 44-41 with 12:19 remaining in the game.

Jumpers from Kendrick Morris (CMC) and Lynds gave the Stags the lead back at 45-44 and the game remained close for the next seven minutes. A pair of free throws from Chapman's Jeff Kenney cut the CMS lead down to two points at 56-54 with 3:30 remaining. On the ensuing CMS possession, Scott Lynds stepped into a three from the wing to push the lead to 59-54 in favor of the Stags.

Lynds' three was the final field goal for the Stags in the game, but CMS went 11-12 from the free throw line over the final three minutes to pull off the 70-63 victory.

The victory improves CMS to 6-7 overall and 4-1 in the SCIAC. The Stags will next take the floor on Wednesday when they host Whittier at 7:00 p.m. in Roberts Pavilion.