The Tigers held La Verne to an anemic 27% (7 of 26) from the floor in the first half and took a 35-20 lead at halftime. Justin Zebb and Ivan Kostic put the clamps on SCIAC Player of the Year candidate Jason Greenlee, who managed just six points in the contest. Lanier Brown, an All-SCIAC Second Team selection last season, scored none.
Sam Betty led the Tigers with 18 points and six rebounds. Zach Phillips scored 13 points and collected 11 boards. Zebb posted 13 points and Connor Whitman added eleven.
Occidental led by as many as 19 in the second half. La Verne cut the Tigers’ lead to six on a basket by Jake Franzen with 1:50 remaining but a timely three-pointer by Dylan Marvin boosted the lead to nine moments later.
Kostic hit a jumper with under a minute left, stretching the Oxy lead to 64-53. Phillips and Whitman both hit a pair of free throws to close out the game.
Occidental committed 19 turnovers but shot a respectable 47% from the floor and 82% from the line. Nine Tigers saw significant minutes in the game.
Occidental (10-1), currently ranked #24 in the nation by D3Hoops.com, faces Cal Lutheran (5-7) this Saturday at 7:30pm at Rush Gym.
The Kingsmen have won their last two contests thanks to solid play from senior guard Sergei Lepiashinski and six-foot-six sophomore forward Phillip Lehmann.
“Cal Lutheran played a tough pre-season schedule,” notes veteran head coach Brian Newhall. “It’ll be a dogfight in the SCIAC the rest of the way. There are no easy games.”