|
|
February
22, 2007
Men's Basketball Ends Season With Tough Loss to Oxy
Taylor '07 Finishes with Double-Double on Senior Night
Anthony Taylor '07 finished with ten points and twelve
rebounds, but Whittier College lost 63-61 in double overtime to SCIAC
rival, nationally ranked #19 Occidental College in front of nearly 1100
fans on "PAC the GAC" night at Graham Athletics Center on February 22.
The Poets finish their season 9-16 overall and 3-11 in conference play.
Taylor was 4-for-6 from the field in 33 minutes of action in his
final game. Fellow senior, Tim Fanning '07 scored eight
points and was credited with six assists and three steals.
Vernon Covington '08 scored eleven points and pulled down eight
boards. Raphael Farlough '08 finished with ten points. |
Anthony Taylor '07 |
The Poets trailed by as many as nine in the first half and did not hold
a lead until a made jumper at the end of the half gave the Poets a 23-21
lead going into the break. Neither team shot well in the first
half. Whittier shot under thirty percent from the field, but did
hit five three-pointers, while the Tigers shot just 33 percent from the
field.
The Tigers took the lead with a three to begin the second half, but a
15-4 Poet run immediately after gave the Poets a ten-point lead halfway
through the half. Occidental chipped away at the Poet lead until
they pulled even at the 3:24 mark. With the score tied at 46 with
1:12 remaining in regulation, neither team was able to score a field
goal the rest of the half, sending the game into overtime.
In the first overtime period, each team scored six points, neither team
being able to pull more than two points ahead. The teams traded
baskets once again in the second overtime. Farlough hit a jumper
with 1:33 left to put the Poets up by three, but on the ensuing Tiger
possession, they hit a three-pointer to re-tie the game at 59. The
Tigers forced a turnover and were able to knock down another jump shot
to take a 61-59 lead. Jeff McLean '09 hit a runner in the
lane for two of his eight points to tie the score again with 23 seconds
left. Occidental came back and the Poets defense held them to a
tough lay-up attempt that fell short and into the hands of McLean.
As the Poets pushed the ball up the floor with less than ten seconds
left, a Tiger player made contact with the Poet ball handler forcing the
ball to come loose. The officials allowed play to continue and the
Tiger player hit an 18-footer as time expired to win the game.
The Poets end their season losing their last four games and finish
seventh in the SCIAC standings. |
|
|
