Men's basketball holds off Whittier in overtime

ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University men's basketball team advanced to the SCIAC Semifinals with an 87-84 overtime win over visiting Whittier on Wednesday. The Panthers (21-3) survived the overtime scare behind a 29-point night from senior Jack Roggin.

Roggin scored his final eight points in the overtime period, burying a pair of three-pointers to lead the Panthers to the victory. Roggin was 3-for-4 in the extra period as the Panthers never trailed to hold off the upset-minded Poets.

Chapman overcame 16 turnovers to stay alive in the expanded postseason tournament. In the game, Chapman hit 11 three-pointers and went 18-of-20 from the free throw line to regain the advantage in the game. The Panthers clinched the winning margin on the free throw line as senior Alex Rogat grabbed a clutch offensive rebound and knocked down both free throws after he was fouled to force Whittier to attempt a game-tying three-pointer in the closing moments.

After Roggin beat the halftime buzzer to put Chapman up 39-38 at the half, the Panthers built an 11-point lead with 12:30 left in regulation. The Poets chipped away at the lead with a 7-0 run over the next three minutes. Chapman pushed the lead back to double digits when Roggin converted a three-point play but the Poets continued to fight back.

An 8-2 Whittier run closed the gap all the way down to a one-possession game with 1:30 to go. Roggin hit two free throws to make it 75-71 before Nick Colosi dropped in a layup to close the lead back to two points. After Whittier forced a missed shot from the Panthers, Jordan Kanoe crept along the baseline for a game-tying dunk with 11 seconds left. The Panthers missed a three-pointer at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.

Senior Chandler White, who scored 15 points off the bench, scored the first two points of overtime on the first possession. Whittier responded with a three-pointer for the Poets' only lead after halftime. It was short-lived as Roggin buried a three-pointer just 15 seconds later for an 80-78 lead.

A free throw later tied the game at 82-82 but Roggin responded again with his second three of overtime. Whittier cut the lead down to one before Rogat came up clutch with the offensive rebound and two free throws.

Senior Hayden Moore pulled down 11 rebounds to go along with nine points while fellow senior Anthony Giomi had 12 rebounds with five assists and eight points. Senior Anthony Smith had 13 points and seven rebounds.

Whittier had four starters in double figures with Kyle Price and Colosi each posting double-doubles.

All the top seeds held in the quarterfinal round with Pomona-Pitzer, Chapman, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Cal Lutheran claiming victory at home. The second-seeded Panthers will host third-seeded CMS on Friday at 7 p.m. in SCIAC Tournament Semifinals.

By Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director

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