Tigers return to winning ways

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (Dec. 30, 2009) – Following an 11-day hiatus from the hardwood, the Occidental College men’s basketball team travelled to Riverside to play the La Sierra University Golden Eagles. Similarly to the first meeting between the teams this season, Oxy finished on top, shooting 65% from the field in the second half en route to an 82-57 victory this afternoon. The Tigers defeated the Golden Eagles 93-76 on Dec. 3 and have completed the season sweep.

Occidental wasted no time opening a double figure lead as they led 20-7 just seven and a half minutes into action and took a 16-point lead into the locker room. Freshman point guard Eric Leider scored 10 of his game-high 19 points in the opening stanza behind a 4-for-6 performance from the field.

After the Golden Eagles chipped their way back into the game, trailing by 10 points at 40-30, Occidental pieced together an 11-2 run to swing things back in their favor. Leider hit one of his two three-pointers to give the Black and Orange a 22-point advantage as they went on to win by 25 points.

As a team, Oxy shot 52% from the field, including a 17-for-26 second half effort. Joining Leider with double figures tonight were the senior duo of Huston Conti (17), and Sean Anderson (13) while sophomore Jake Copithorne was perfect from the floor, going 5-for-5 with 11 total points, and freshman Deshun McCoy pitched in with 10. Both Leider and Jack Hanley handed out four assists for the Tigers today. At the line, the Tigers were 14-for-18 with Conti knocking down 4-for-5 while McCoy and Pablo Warner were each 3-for-4.

The Tigers held the Golden Eagles to a 37% field goal percentage as they were just 1-for-16 from beyond the arc. McCoy led all players with seven rebounds, followed by Anderson and Conti who each finished with six. Adding to their rebounding effort, in which Oxy pulled down 38 to LSU’s 28, McCoy and Anderson were credited with three blocks apiece. Hanley grabbed three steals.

Occidental (6-3) will travel to Concordia, Irvine tomorrow to face Ripon College in a non-conference game to wrap up the 2009 portion of their season.