Whittier Pulls Away to Beat CMS Women's Basketball

WHITTIER, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's basketball team battled tough through a rough shooting game but ultimately fell in a 66-51 road decision to Whittier on Saturday evening.

CMS drops to 10-11 on the season with the loss, and 7-5 in the SCIAC, while Whittier improves to 12-6 overall and 8-5 in conference play. 

Austyn Masuno led CMS with 14 points, seven rebounds and two steals on a 5-10 shooting performance. Jacey Carter and Grace Florendo both finished with eight points apiece, combining to make four three-pointers on the night. 

CMS tied the game at 18-18 after a Jocelyn Song jump shot early in the second quarter. Masuno made a pair of free throws to get within one again, 21-20 with 5:22 remaining but Whittier was able to close out the period on a 9-2 run to earn a 30-22 halftime advantage.  

Masuno started the fourth by converting a jump-shot with 9:55 left to make it a 13-point game, but Whittier stretched its advantage out to 20 in the final three minutes, before the game ended with a 66-51 final margin. The Athenas shot 92.9 percent from the free-throw line with 13 of 14 makes, but shot 32.7 percent from the field.  

CMS will be back in action on Monday when it hosts Caltech for a 7 p.m. contest at Roberts Pavilion.