Stags Dominate Non-Conference Finale, Defeat Pacific Lutheran 87-62

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Caelan Jones had a career-high 23 points on 9-12 shooting to lead five players in double figures as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's basketball team closed out non-conference play with an 87-62 win over Pacific Lutheran on Saturday at Roberts Pavilion.

CMS moves to 6-4 on the year after picking up its fourth win in a row as it head back into SCIAC play after the new year. Pacific Lutheran slips to 8-3 on the year with the loss. 

Jones, who is a graduate student with the Stags after playing for Division I Boston University for three seasons, shot 7-8 from the floor and 4-4 from three-point territory in the second half, scoring 18 of his 23 after intermission. He was 5-6 from three-point territory on the day, and also tied for team-high honors with six rebounds. 

Josh Angle had 19 points and matched his career high with seven assists for the Stags, while James Frye had 18 on 7-9 shooting to fall one short of his career-high in scoring. Rhett Carter had 11 points, and Will King chipped in with 10 for CMS, which had five players in double figures for the second game in a row.

CMS was in a tight one for most of the first half, but Angle was fouled in the act of shooting a three-pointer on the final possession and made all three to give CMS a 38-32 lead going into the break. After the Lutes scored the first basket of the second half, Jones hit a three, Carter hit a jumper, and Frye hit another jumper in a quick 7-0 run to get the lead up to double figures for the first time at 45-34. 

Another big spurt for CMS pushed the lead from 47-37 up to 18 points at 55-37, as Angle hit a three-pointer, then fed Jones for a fast-break lay-up, and Carter capped it with a three-point play.  Jones then had back-to-back three-pointers 19 seconds apart to take the lead from 57-41 up to 63-41, and the Stags were able to cruise the rest of the way. 

CMS had 19 assists as a team and only eight turnovers, with King adding five assists and no turnovers off the bench. The Stags shot 55.9 percent for the game (33-59) and 55.6 percent from three-point territory (10-18). 

CMS will be back in action on Wednesday when it returns to SCIAC play with a home game against Redlands at 7 p.m.