Occidental, now 20-5, travels to Tacoma, Wash. to play 14th-ranked Puget Sound this Saturday, March 4. The SCIAC champion CMS Stags finish the season at 19-7.
Neither team shot the ball particularly well early on but Occidental mounted an 11-0 run during a stretch of 3 1/2 minutes late in the first half, taking a 22-12 lead at halftime.
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps came out firing to begin the second half, taking a brief 37-36 lead on a jumper by John Parsons with just over seven minutes remaining. The Tigers answered with baskets from forwards Sam Betty and Ivan Kostic on the next two possessions, followed by a key three-pointer from senior Dylan Marvin to jump ahead 43-37.
Senior forward Zach Phillips, freshman guard Gyan Alexander, and Marvin hit five of six free throw attempts in the final minute to seal the win.
Phillips and Betty played through early foul trouble to lead the Tigers with 11 points apiece. Sophomore guard Connor Whitman scored 11 points and hit two three-pointers. SCIAC Player of the Year Miles Taylor finished with 16 points and 11 boards for CMS.