Second Half Troubles Continue for Kingsmen

Scoring defense, second half key to CLU wins

Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010 6:00 pm

Greg Grimm (L) led CLU with 21 points, five assists and four steals against PLU.
Credit: Scott Chisholm Hi-res image

PASADENA, Calif. - During the opening game of the SCIAC Classic on Saturday the Cal Lutheran men's basketball team led by three points over Pacific Lutheran at the half. The Lutes took over the lead early in the second half and never surrendered the advantage and pulled away late taking a 70-58 margin.

Box Score: PLU 70, CLU 58 - F

Over the past three games CLU has been tied, trailed by one point and up by three points after 20 minutes of play. The Kingsmen led 29-26 sparked offensively by 12 points from senior Greg Grimm.

Despite holding a three point cushion into the break the lead could have been greater as Cal Lutheran knocked down only 9-of-19 first half free throw attempts. In contrast Pacific Lutheran went just 3-for-7 from the charity stripe.

A balanced second half offensive output from the Lutes including a 16-for-25 shooting performance from the field aided a second half comeback that was completed in the opening minutes.

Following a pair of free throw makes from team-leading scorer Kyle MacTaggart at the 17:01 mark of the second period, the Lutes had taken their first lead in just over 19 minutes.

Cal Lutheran's tenacity on the offensive glass provided 11 second chance opportunities in the second half. However the Kingsmen could not overcome a shooting performance that feature 22-for-58 from the field (.379) including 4-for-16 from three (.250), and 10-for-26 at the free throw line (.385).

CLU junior Aaron Van Klaveren picked up his third double-double of the year with 11 points and 13 boards, while Grimm notched his first contributing 21 points and 10 rebounds.

In Cal Lutheran's two victories to open the season the defense held the opposition to only 52.5 points per game. Since then Kingsmen opponents have averaged nearly 74 points per game with almost 43 points coming in the second half.

Caltech defeated UC Santa Cruz 63-62 extending its current win streak to three games after dropping its first five to start the 2010-11 campaign.

Cal Lutheran (2-4) will host both games of the SCIAC Classic on Sunday, Dec. 19 playing in the first against UC Santa Cruz at 1 p.m. Caltech will take on Pacific Lutheran at 3 p.m. inside Gilbert Arena.