CMS Men's Basketball Holds off Southwestern to Move to 2-0

GEORGETOWN, Texas – The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's basketball team never trailed but had to hold off a late rally from host Southwestern to capture a 61-59 win on Saturday afternoon in a regional matchup at the Paul Peak Classic.

With the win, CMS moves to 2-0 on the young season after winning its opener against UC Santa Cruz last week, while Southwestern slips to 0-4 with the loss.  

Josh Angle finished with a game-high 21 points for CMS, while Reid Jones added 10 key points off the bench.

CMS built a double-digit lead behind its defense, as Jones knocked down a three-pointer to make it a 20-10 lead with 7:52 left in the half. James Frye gave CMS its largest lead of the half at 26-12 on a steal and fast-break lay-up, but the Pirates were able to get the lead back down to 32-22 at the break.

Southwestern closed to within 32-26 early in the second half before Angle  hit a three to push it back up to nine. After the Pirates got it to within four at 38-34, Jones scored off a Frye assist, Will King hit a jumper, and after a Southwestern basket, Angle had a four-point play to make it a 46-36 game with 11:07 left.

Angle's jumper with 4:10 left had the Stags up 11 at 57-46, and Max McCalla made two foul shots with 2:27 to go to make it 61-51, but the Pirates closed on an 8-0 run and had a possession to tie or take the lead with eight seconds left, but they were unable to get a shot off as the Stags held on.  

CMS will be back in action tomorrow when it faces Trinity on the second day of the Paul Peak Classic at Southwestern. The Stags will then co-host the David Wells Classic on Friday and Saturday, facing George Fox on Friday at Roberts Pavilion at 6:30 p.m., and then meeting Carleton at Pomona-Pitzer's Voelkel Gymnasium on Saturday at 4 p.m.