THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - The Cal Lutheran men's basketball team shot over 60 percent from the field and put away the visiting Whittier Poets 117-81 in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play on Saturday evening inside Gilbert Arena.
Both teams were hot from three-point territory to start the game and traded baskets in the early going. Kyle Ferreira put the Kingsmen on the board with his first of six three-pointers in the game and all five starters scored in the first five minutes for CLU.
With 5:08 remaining in the first half, the Kingsmen turned a one-point lead, 39-38, into a 12-point halftime lead, 52-40, after going on a 13-2 run to close out the half. Ferreira drained another triple to spark the rally that saw another three-pointer from Sam Cirillo as well as an and-one conversion from Caleb Richey.
In the second half, the Kingsmen picked up right where they left off as Blake Miles converted an and-one followed by a three-pointer by Richey. Wolfgang Wood made his presence felt with a pair of and-one conversions and then the Violet and Gold really began to pull away with four straight three-pointers coming from Wood, Cirillo and a pair from Ferreira.
In all, seven Kingsmen reached double figures on the night led by a game-high 24 points from Ferreira. Wood finished with 19 points and Cirillo added 15. Miles was an efficient 4-for-4 from the field, with a three-pointer and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line for 12 points and Kenneth Moffett also scored 12. Austin Cole pitched in 11 while Richey added 11 and a game-high 11 assists for a double-double. Miles also notched a double-double with a game-high 11 rebounds.
CLU shot 48.4 percent (15-for-31) from three-point land while hitting 61.4 percent (43-for-70) from the field and outrebounded the Poets 40-25.
Whittier was led by 16 points from Nick Potthoff and 15 points off the bench from Conner Longmire.
Cal Lutheran (9-3, 2-1 SCIAC) continues SCIAC action at home when they take on Chapman this Thursday, Jan. 12 at 7:00 p.m.
Box Score: CLU 117, WC 81
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