Big win keeps SCIAC championship hopes alive

ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University men's basketball team kept its SCIAC championship hopes alive with a victory over visiting Cal Lutheran University 86-70 at the Hutton Sports Center on Thursday night. The Panthers are now tied with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps for second place in conference standings and remain one game back from first-place Cal Lutheran with two games left to play in the regular season.

Chapman (19-4 overall, 10-4 SCIAC) also clinched a berth in the SCIAC Postseason Tournament with the win and is now eyeing home court advantage.

Chapman senior PG Garrett James had 18 points with three three-pointers and four assists in the game. He earned his 127th assist of the season midway through the first half giving him the school's season-single Division III record.

Leading by nine at halftime, Chapman opened the second half strong with a 12-4 run giving it a 17-point lead with 13:17 remaining in the game. Junior F Mike Atwater recorded 10 points and seven rebounds on the night. The biggest lead in the first half for Chapman was 11 points after a 9-0 run late in the period.

The Panthers never gave up the lead in the second half with their biggest margin at 21 points late in the game. Senior G Colin Zavrsnick led Chapman with 20 points, including four three-pointers, and his basket with 8:13 remaining gave Chapman a 68-47 lead over Cal Lutheran (17-5 overall, 11-3 SCIAC).

Senior G Arik Smith led the Kingsmen with 23 points and five assists as Cal Lu had its seven-game winning streak snapped.

The Panthers will host seventh-place University of La Verne (9-14 overall, 5-9 SCIAC) at the Hutton Sports Center on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 4 p.m.

by Katie Whaley & Doug Aiken
Sports Information Intern & Sports Information Director

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