THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – On a night where baskets were hard to come by for both sides, Cal Lutheran men's basketball battled to the final buzzer but ultimately came up just short in a 62-59 loss to Pomona-Pitzer on Wednesday evening inside Gilbert Arena.

The defeat pushed the Kingsmen to 8-10 overall and 3-6 in SCIAC play, while the Sagehens improved to 7-9 (3-5 SCIAC). Despite the result, CLU stayed competitive throughout in a game that featured six ties and 10 lead changes, underscoring just how tight the contest was from start to finish.

Cal Lutheran set the tone early, weathering the opening basket from Pomona-Pitzer before answering with a three-pointer from Aidan Crawford. As both teams struggled to find a consistent shooting rhythm, the Kingsmen leaned on defensive effort and timely plays, grinding through extended stretches marked by missed shots and turnovers on both ends.

The Kingsmen's depth proved valuable in the opening period. Ryder Mjoen provided an offensive spark off the bench with a pair of buckets, while Andrew Pipersburgh and Matthew Verkamp capitalized at the free-throw line. Jaden Young knocked down a key three late in the half, helping Cal Lutheran close strong and head into the locker room with a 29-22 advantage.

Pomona-Pitzer opened the second half with a quick surge from beyond the arc, trimming the deficit and eventually reclaiming the lead. Still, Cal Lutheran refused to fold. Cade Collins buried a three early in the period, and the Kingsmen continued to respond to every Sagehen run. A pair of baskets by PJ Jourdain brought CLU back level midway through the half, and the teams remained locked in a one-possession game for much of the final 10 minutes.

Young carried the Kingsmen offensively down the stretch, connecting on three triples in the second half to keep CLU within striking distance. Josh DeVore delivered a momentum-shifting fastbreak three with just over three minutes remaining to tie the game at 55, igniting the home crowd and giving the Kingsmen renewed life.

In the final moments, Cal Lutheran continued to generate opportunities, but shots rimmed out and second-chance opportunities failed to fall. Pomona-Pitzer converted just enough late free throws to hold on, sealing the three-point win despite CLU getting a final look in the closing seconds.

Young led all scorers with 19 points on an efficient 6-of-10 shooting night, including five three-pointers. Verkamp added seven points and six rebounds, while DeVore chipped in seven points off the bench. The Kingsmen held a 36-30 rebounding edge and received 25 points from their bench, battling through an overall shooting night where neither team topped 41 percent from the field.

Cal Lutheran will look to turn the page quickly as conference play continues. The Kingsmen return home on Wednesday, January 28, to host Whittier at 7 p.m. inside Gilbert Arena. CLU will be seeking redemption after a 70-65 road loss to the Poets earlier this season.