Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College men's basketball team dropped their fifth straight game and their fourth straight SCIAC contest to the Kingsmen of Cal Lutheran University 57-43 Wednesday evening at the Graham Athletic Center.    

Whittier now drops to 5-9, 1-4 SCIAC, while Cal Lutheran improves to 7-7, 3-2 SCIAC. 

The Poets after jumping out in front 14-2 at the 14:33 mark was unable to put in another basket over a six minute stretch that allowed the Kingsmen to pull within six.  After Dylan Irwin connected on one of two free throws and put back in a layin, the Poets saw their lead cut down to four but that would be the last basket they would add the rest of the half as CLU held the Poets scoreless over the next 6:43, while adding their own 12-0 run to close out the half helping them take a 24-17 lead into the break. 

After shooting 24% from the field in the first half with both Chris Barnes-Williams and Phillip Thomas leading the way with four points apiece, Whittier came out in the second and fought back shooting 33% led by Tyree Landrum's eight points and ten rebounds and pulling within nine 49-40 at the 4:34 mark.  But CLU stayed strong after lighting it up from deep shooting 67% from three point territory to extend their lead back to double digits, and in the end Dan Wade knocked down four straight free throws to secure the fourteen point victory for the Kingsmen. 

Landrum posted a double double with 11 points on 4-10 shooting to go with 13 boards, which included eight offensive, while Barnes-Williams finished with 10 points on 3-6 shooting.  At the point Willie Mebane was strong across the board chipping in with seven points, four rebounds, three assists, and four steals.

CLU saw four players reach double figures led by Corey Quintana who recorded a game high 19 points going 7-17 from the field.  He was followed by Jayvaughn Nettles who poured in 16 points and nine boards going 3-4 from deep, while Wade and Jeremy Sulker-Hall finished with 10 points apiece.

Whittier returns to the court with SCIAC competition when they travel to Pasadena, Calif., Saturday, January 12 to take on the Beavers of the California Institute of Technology with tip off set for 7:00pm.