CMS Men's Basketball Keeps Pace in SCIAC with Road win over Caltech

PASADENA, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's basketball team was tested by Caltech, but Josh Angle had 21 points and Rhett Carter had 16 as the Stags were able to avoid the upset with a 63-53 road win on Saturday.

With the win, CMS moves to 14-5 overall and 8-2 in the SCIAC, keeping pace with first-place Cal Lutheran, which defeated Chapman on the road. Caltech slips to 1-18 overall and 0-10 in the SCIAC with the loss. 

Angle had 18 of his points in the first half on 7-9 shooting to help stake CMS to a 35-24 lead at the break. Caltech adjusted their defense to try to take him out of the game in the second half, holding him to three points after halftime, but Carter was able to step up with 10 points and Caelan Jones added all seven of his after halftime. 

Carter opened the second half with a basket to help CMS match its largest lead at 37-24, but the Beavers heated up and got the lead down to 44-40 with 12:15 left on a Noah Hicks three-pointer. 

It was still a one-possession game with 7:47 to go at 49-46, but Jones hit a jumper and Carter made two foul shots to get the lead to seven. After Caltech scored to make it 53-48, Carter hit two baskets sandwiched around a Jones jumper for a 6-0 run to push the lead up to double digits.

Caltech had one final run to get it down to 59-53 with 1:14 left, but Will King hit two foul shots and Will Householter capped off the scoring with two more. 

CMS will be back in action on Wednesday night when it hosts Occidental for a 7 p.m. contest.