Panthers open SCIAC with win

ORANGE, Calif. - The Chapman University men's basketball team rallied to earn its first SCIAC victory in a 95-76 win over Whittier College at the Hutton Sports Center on Saturday afternoon.

Chapman used a big night from beyond the arc, making 11-of-18 three pointers and out-shooting the Poets by nearly 20 percent.

Trailing 18-12 to the Poets at the 12:53 minutes mark, the Panthers rallied to a 12-0 run over the next five minutes to take a 24-18 lead. The Panthers continued on a 19-4 run to extend their lead 31-22. Chapman finished the first half with a 47-42 lead over Whittier.

Junior Luke Hamlin led the Panthers on a 10-2 run to open the second half with a pair of triples in the first two minutes of the second half. Whittier continued to close in on the Panthers but Chapman built its lead up to 19 points with 1:18 left in the second half which proved too much to overcome for the Poets.

Freshman Cam Haslam scored 25 points, draining three triples and collecting five assists for his sixth 20-plus point game this season. Hamlin's 23-point effort was a career-high, to go along with a personal-best of seven rebounds and five assists.

Sophomore James Taylor continued to impress down low with 16 points and nine rebounds.

The Panthers (6-2 overall, 1-0 SCIAC) will host Pomona-Pitzer on Tuesday, Jan 6 for a night-cap set at 7 p.m.  

by Raquel Rinauro
Sports Information Assistant

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