CMS Men's Basketball Takes Control in Second Half for 79-67 Win over Pacific

CLAREMONT, Calif. - TJ Askew had a career-high 26 points, Sam Johnson added a career high 14 on 7-7 shooting, and Matt Meredith had career highs with 14 rebounds and 11 assists as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's basketball team overcame a frenetic first half to earn a 79-67 win over Pacific (Ore.) on Friday night at Roberts Pavilion.

The win was the sixth in a row for the Stags, who improve to 8-1 on the season heading into the holiday break. Pacific sees its record slip to 3-6 with the defeat. 

CMS never led in the first half, when it committed 15 turnovers against the fullcourt pressure of the Boxers, but pulled even at 31-31 at the break when Kiran Kruse knocked down a three-pointer just before the buzzer. Meredith then started the second half with a free-throw line jumper to give the Stags their first lead of the night at 33-31, which was also Meredith's only field goal of the night, as he ended up with four points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. 

The teams stayed close for the first few minutes of the second half before an 11-2 CMS run that began with Johnson making four straight Stag baskets to help turn a 43-42 lead into a 51-44 advantage. Josh Angle then capped the run with a three-pointer off a feed from Max McCalla to make it 54-44. 

The Boxers got the CMS lead down to six points at 61-55 with 7:35 left, but Meredith fed a pass to a cutting Askew for a dunk for his tenth assist, Askew hit two foul shots, and then Meredith threw a cross-court pass to Kruse for a three-pointer to give CMS its largest lead at 68-55.

Pacific had one final run to cut the lead back to single digits at 68-59 with four minutes left, but Askew hit two foul shots and fed Luke Webb for a layup to seal it. 

Angle had 11 points for the Stags and Rhett Carter added 10 to give CMS four players in double figures, while Kruse was just one point short with nine. CMS had a dominant 48-24 rebounding advantage on the day, led by the 14 from Meredith, while the Stags shot 50 percent from the floor (27-54) and held Pacific to 40 percent (26-65). 

The Stags will have a 12-day break for the holidays before returning to action at Roberts Pavilion on Wednesday, Dec. 29, when they take on Skidmore for a 5 p.m. contest. Head Coach Ken Scalmanini will be trying for his 400th career win in that contest in only his 23rd season at the helm, after picking up win No. 399 this evening (improving to 399-181 with the Stags).