Pomona-Pitzer Knocks Off CMS Women's Basketball in Regular Season Finale

CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's basketball team had a tight battle with Pomona-Pitzer but a second-half run propelled the Sagehens to a 71-58 win over the Athenas on Saturday night at in a rare road game at Roberts Pavilion, as Pomona-Pitzer, whose current athletic facility is under construction, was the official home team for the contest.

CMS slips to 10-15 overall and 7-9 in the SCIAC with the loss. Pomona-Pitzer improved to 13-9 overall and 11-5 in league play with the win. 

Austyn Masuno led CMS with 21 points, seven rebounds and a block, converting 11-12 attempts from the free-throw line. Grace Florendo was also in double figures for the Athenas with 10 points, making 4 of 7 shots to go along with four assists. Madison Quan had a strong stat line for the Sagehens with 25 points, five rebounds and two steals.

Florendo scored seven of her 10 points in the first period to help CMS jump out to an early 22-17 advantage through 10 minutes of play. Flora Durgerian, who finished with eight points and six rebounds, made two three-pointers in less than three minutes into the second period to stretch the Athenas lead to 28-22. Jocelyn Song added a lay-up moments later with 3:56 left in the period, but Pomona-Pitzer was able to close the quarter out on a 16-6 run to capture a 38-34 halftime lead.

Pomona-Pitzer held a 50-42 lead midway through the third before Durgerian and Gwen Gilmore scored six unanswered points to get the Athenas back within two, 50-48 with 2:46 left in the period. 

Masuno made a lay-up less than two minutes into the fourth to trim the Athenas deficit to nine, 61-52 with 8:50 left but the Sagehens went on to outscore CMS 15-8 in the period to seal the victory with the Athenas unable to make a late comeback.