Vernon Covington '08 scored 15 points as Whittier College opened the conference season with a 69-58 win over nationally ranked #24 California Lutheran University in the Graham Athletics Center on January 12.  The win improves the Poets' record to 8-4 this season.

Covington went 7-for-8 from the field and pulled down five rebounds for the Poets.  Marcus Gibson '09 hit a pair of three-pointers and finished with eleven points.  Urriahn Barragan '09 came off the bench to score ten points and was credited with three assists and two steals. 

The Kingsmen (10-2,0-1)were led by Kyle Knudsen who scored 19 points including three from beyond the arc.  Andy Meier finished with twelve points and five rebounds.

Whittier shot the lights out on their way to a 40-25 halftime lead.  They shot 68% from the field and hit 4-of-7 shots from long range.  The Poets jumped out to an early seven-point lead four minutes into the game.  The Kingsmen fought back and took a one-point lead with just under nine minutes left in the first half on a Lucas Gums three-pointer.  It was the only time Cal Lutheran would lead in the game.  The Poets went ahead by eight with three minutes left, and closed the half with a 7-0 run.

The Poets stayed hot in the second half, shooting 50% from the field.  They opened the half with a three-pointer from Gibson to take an 18-point lead.  They led by as many as 22 points (57-35) with ten minutes left in the game. A 17-4 run from the Kingsmen in the next seven minutes cut the lead to just nine points.  The teams battled back and forth from there, but the Poets were able to make five of their last six free throws to close out the game.

The Poets held a 26-16 turnover advantage in the game, thanks to 14 steals.  They won the game despite being out rebounded 32-18.  The reserve players played a huge role, as Whittier's bench out scored the Kingsmen's 30-12.

The Poets continue SCIAC play with another home contest against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on January 16.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30pm.