CLU Sports

Kingsmen End Decade Drought at Ducey Gym

CLU tied atop SCIAC standings after road win over CMS
Wednesday, Jan 23, 2008 11:02 pm
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CLAREMONT, Calif. – The 10-year drought at Ducey Gymnasium ended with a 55-42 victory over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges in men's basketball action on Wednesday night. CLU held the Stags to just 16 first half points and just as many field goals in regulation to earn its third straight double-digit conference win.

"The streak is over" exclaimed CLU senior guard Chad Acerboni. It was a well-known fact to a majority of the Kingsmen that it had been a while, since January 28, 1998 to be exact, Cal Lutheran was able to defeat Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at its own court.

From the opening tip it was a defensive battle but the Kingsmen took an early lead it would not relinquish after Mychal Owens scored six consecutive points early in the first half to give CLU an 8-4 lead.

Kingsmen Kyle Knudsen drained 2-of-3 first half three-pointers in the opening half, with his final triple giving CLU an 11-point lead. It would match largest of the period and Knudsen was the only player to score in double figures through the opening 20 minutes.

The Stags cut the lead to seven (30-21) following a Conner Faught three-pointer at the 17:25 mark. However, that would be the team’s lone triple of the game as CLU held CMS to just 1-of-13 from beyond the arc.

The senior backcourt duo and primary ball handlers Deshion Inniss and Acerboni were pressured throughout the game, but committed just three turnovers in 63 minutes of action altogether. Inniss notched game-highs with seven assists and three steals. Acerboni scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds.

Cal Lutheran notched a .783 clip at the free throw line (18-of-23) and converted 11-of-13 in the second period while the Stags managed just 11 attempts for the game.

CMS’ Dan Winterbottom, former SCIAC Athlete of the Week and the team’s season leading scorer, was held in check scoring just four points in 31 minutes. Chris Blees recorded team-highs in points (13) and rebounds (5) for the Stags (8-7, 2-2 SCIAC).

Cal Lutheran (13-2, 3-1 SCIAC) will return home to face Occidental College (13-2, 3-1 SCIAC) on Saturday, January 26 at 7:30 pm.

Box Score: CLU 55, CMS 42 F



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