Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College men's basketball team had their four game winning streak snapped Wednesday evening at the hands of the Sagehens of Pomona-Pitzer 66-57 in front of a rowdy crowd of 300 plus. 

Whittier now drops into second place in SCIAC with a record of 12-5, 4-2 SCIAC, while Pomona-Pitzer moves into a tie for first place with the Stags of Claremont-M-S with a record of 10-6, 5-1 SCIAC.

After coming off of one of the biggest upsets in Whittier College basketball history over then ranked Claremont-M-S the Poets had no answer for the long ball this evening as the Sagehens shot 26% from three point land on 7-of-27 shooting, while the Poets shot a measly 9%, which proved to be the difference down the stretch. 

The Purple & Gold started the game off on a 12-0 run thanks to Nathaniel Easterman who dropped eight of his game high 23 points, while hauling in nine boards one shy of a double double, but saw the Sagehens answer right back with a 15-0 run of their own.

The game then became a seesaw battle with neither team being able to take a substantial lead.  Pomona-Pitzer was able to maintain a four point lead throughout the first half until Greg Preer answered with back to back jumpers at the 5:20 mark to tie up the game 28 apiece sparking a small Poet run that ended in them taking a two point lead into the half up 34-32.  Preer finished with 13 points on 6-of-14 shooting and collected four steals. 

Coming out of the break, it again became a seesaw battle as Whittier managed to stay on top by one or two points up until the 14:11 mark when the Saghens Michael Cohen (23 Points) and RJ Maki knocked down back to back three pointers sparking a Sagehen 10-0 run that put them up 48-41 giving them their largest lead of the contest.

Whittier came back though behind a Jordan Ramos layin and a Drew Menez jumper to get within four but that's as close as they would get as Pomona-Pitzer knocked down four straight free throws to extend their lead to 52-44 and despite a mini comeback late in the game by the Purple & Gold, Whittier couldn't overcome the nine point lead.      

Whittier looks to put this game behind them as they look forward to welcoming the Beavers of the California Institute of Technology Saturday evening beginning at 7pm.