CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Swarthmore College men's basketball team finished its game at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges with an 18-3 run to pick up a 60-51 victory over the host Stags on Saturday and earn a split in the Garnet's two-game trip to the Golden State.
Swarthmore took an early 10-3 lead but the offense then went cold for the Garnet as CMS answered with a 19-6 stretch to take a six-point advantage. Swarthmore bounced back with 11 of the last 16 points in the first half to tie it up at 27 at the break. The teams went back and forth over the first seven minutes of the second half before the Stags used a 9-2 run to take a six-point edge. The Garnet then dominated the final six minutes of the contest to rally for the win.
Zander Jimenez led Swarthmore with 16 points and eight rebounds. Twelve of Jimenez's points came in the second half.
Cal Hanson tallied 13 points and five boards while
Eddie Paquette registered eight points and eight rebounds.
Jonathan Stump chipped in with a career-high seven points for the second consecutive night. The Garnet held CMS to its season low in points, field goal percentage (26.6), and three-point field goal percentage (11.1).
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Garnet got out to a 10-3 lead in just over six minutes of action. Stump sparked the opening run with five points while CMS made just one of its first nine shot attempts. However, the Stags ended their cold snap with a 19-6 surge to take a 22-16 advantage with 3:58 to go in the half. The Swarthmore offense went into a slump as the Garnet went just 2-of-16 from the field during the CMS rally.
- The Garnet recovered late in the first half, scoring seven in a row to take a 23-22 lead. Stump made a layup, Jimenez converted a pair of free throws, and
Caleb Aurelien drained a three-pointer. The Stags scored five of the next seven for a two-point edge but
Nyle Coleman made a layup in the final seconds of the period to bring Swarthmore level at the intermission.
- The teams traded baskets to begin the second half and the Garnet held a slim 40-39 lead at the 13:22 mark. CMS then took over with a 9-2 run for a 48-42 advantage with 7:40 remaining. The Stags shot 3-for-4 during the sequence while Swarthmore was just 1-for-7 from the floor.
- Hanson knocked down a three with 5:56 left to get the Garnet within three (48-45). After a CMS free throw, Swarthmore poured in 13 unanswered points to go in front, 58-49, with 1:48 to play. Jimenez led the rally with six points, all of which came in succession, as the Garnet shot an efficient 5-for-8 from the field. At the defensive end, Swarthmore did not allow a Stags bucket on six attempts and also forced two CMS turnovers.
- The Stags had a field goal drought of 8:30 before they finally made a layup with 1:34 to go to get within seven (58-51). However, CMS could not get back into the game as the Stags missed their final eight shot attempts down the stretch. Jimenez sank a pair of foul shots to account for the last points of the game. Over the closing 10 minutes, CMS was just 1-of-17 on field goal attempts with five turnovers.
GARNET LEADERS
Points: Jimenez 16
Rebounds: Jimenez, Paquette 8
Assists:
Brady Kageyama 3
Blocks:
Aidan Godfrey 2
Steals: Four players 1
Threes: Hanson 3
UP NEXT
The Garnet (8-4) resume their conference schedule on January 11 when they travel to Dickinson College.
