SWARTHMORE, Pa. - The Swarthmore College men's basketball team dropped its first of two games in California with a 74-61 loss to Pomona-Pitzer on Friday afternoon. It marked the first meeting between the programs since 2003. 

California natives Cal Hanson and Zander Jimenez both scored in double figures to lead the Garnet. Hanson paced the team with 14 points, while Jimenez added 12 points. 

Pomona-Pitzer overtook the Garnet with a pair of double-digit runs. Midway through the first half, the Sagehens took their first lead with a 14-0 run. The home team then closed the game with an 11-0 rally to put away Swarthmore for good. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
- Swarthmore got off to a quick start with consecutive three-pointers from Aidan Godfrey and Hanson to open the game. Eddie Paquette then capped off an 8-0 run with a layup at the 17:16 mark.

- Brady Kageyama and Jimenez scored on back-to-back possessions to give the Garnet a double-digit lead. Swarthmore later expanded its lead to a game-high 13 points after a Jimenez pull-up jumper with 11:15 left.

- Pomona-Pitzer tilted momentum in its favor with a 14-0 run to take its first lead with 8:21 remaining. The Garnet quickly regained the lead with a Paquette layup, but were unable to hold off the Sagehens, who ended the half on a 16-6 run to take a nine-point advantage, 40-31. 

- Early in the second half, Swarthmore shrunk its deficit to four points with a 9-4 run. Hanson tallied four points during the swing, while Godfrey knocked down a three-pointer to end the run.

- The Sagehens added eight unanswered to distance themselves from the Garnet with a 12-point lead. Swarthmore then erased its deficit with 12-straight points to climb out of a double-digit hole. Paquette and Jimenez both aided the rally with a pair of three-pointers. 

- After Pomona-Pitzer regained the lead, Hanson knocked down a turnaround jumper to tie the game with 6:16 left. The Sagehens then countered with a three and a bucket to pull ahead by five points, 61-56. 

- Hanson brought the Garnet within three points with a triple at the 3:58 mark. However, it was the last point Swarthmore scored as the Sagehens closed the game on an 11-0 run. 

GARNET LEADERS
Points: Hanson 14
Rebounds: Aurelien 8
Assists: Coleman, Godfrey 3
Steals: Paquette 2

UP NEXT
The Garnet (7-4) wrap up their road trip tomorrow at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.