LOS ANGELES — No. 12 Cal Lutheran men's basketball defeated Occidental 81-77 in overtime, winning their 15th consecutive game and tying the program's record on Wednesday night. The previous record was set by the 1993-94 squad which won 15 games at the start of the season.

The Kingsmen can break the record by winning their next game against Caltech which is scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m. This game will be an excellent opportunity for the Kingsmen to make history.

It was the Kingsmen's first overtime game of the season, and they showed their perseverance and grit by winning it. They remain at the top of the conference with a 12-1 record and three games to go. Overall, they have won 19 games and lost only 3.

Brock Susko had an outstanding performance, recording the second double-double of his career with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Devon Lewis also scored 21 points and dished out three assists, while Tommy Griffitts and Nick Attanasio both added 10 points, and Riley O'Connor had nine.

The game was a back-and-forth battle with 11 ties and eight lead changes. The Kingsmen won the points off turnovers battle 19-11 and the bench points 22-4, but the Tigers controlled the points in the paint 34-22.

At halftime, the Kingsmen were trailing as the defensive game favored the Tigers 29-26. However, they fought back in the second half and tied the game to force overtime. Despite the Tigers' lead in the extra period, the Kingsmen managed to score crucial points and win the game. After O'Connor made a three-pointer to give them the lead with 1:35 remaining, Susko made a two-pointer in the next possession. The Tigers then started fouling, and the Kingsmen made 7-8 free throws down the stretch to secure the win.