Box Score SANTA CRUZ, CA -- UC Santa Cruz would trail 14-0 after the first five minutes and would not recover as Whitman College would cruise to a 72-49 victory over UC Santa Cruz on Sunday in Kaiser Permanente Arena. The game was the final contest of the UCSC Thanksgiving Classic.
Both teams were coming off losses in their last contest. UC Santa Cruz lost 54-53, in overtime, to Carthage College on Saturday in Santa Cruz and Whitman lost 72-67 to Chapman University in Santa Cruz on Saturday also in Santa Cruz.
Whitman would start the game on fire hitting the first six field goals of the ballgame. Tre Weston scored the first two points of the game for the Banana Slugs on two free throws with 14:40 left in the half. The Banana Slugs would trim the Missionaries' lead to seven, at 19-12, with 11:50 left in the half on a James Townsend three pointer. The Missionaries would extend their lead before the end of the half to their largest lead of the half at eighteen, on two occasions, the second coming at 40-22 with thirty five seconds left on a Jackson Clough layup. Matthew Ponce would miss a three pointer before the end of the half and the Missionaries would lead at the end of the half 40-22.
In the second half, the Missionaries would hold the Banana Slugs at arms' length. The Missionaries would gain a twenty five point lead, on two occasions, the second occasion coming at 54-29 with 10:24 left on a Jackson Clough layup. The Slugs would get as close as fourteen, at 58-44, with 5:33 left on two Jared Ponce free throws. The Missionaries would quickly expand their lead again and would gain their largest lead of the game at twenty six, at 72-46, on an Ege Mala layup with 1:00 left in the game. Corey Cilia would add two free throws for the final margin as Whitman won 72-49.
Jared Ponce had fifteen points for the Banana Slugs. Jackson Clough had a game high nineteen points for the Missionaries. James Townsend had nine points for the Banana Slugs in the loss. Philip Chircu and Christian McDonald both had ten points for the Missionaries.
The Banana Slugs shot 28.8% (15-52) from the field, 28.6% (6-21) from the three point line and was 72.2% (13-18) from the free throw line. The Missionaries shot 44.1% (26-59) from the field, 31.6% (6-19) from the three point line and 60.9% (14-23) from the foul line. UC Santa Cruz's defense forced ten Whitman turnovers scoring eleven points off the turnovers while the Missionaries' defense forced fourteen turnovers by UC Santa Cruz scoring twelve points off the turnovers. Whitman outrebounded UC Santa Cruz 45-34 but the Banana Slugs had five more blocks (7-2) than did the Missionaries.
Both Jared Ponce and Tyler Berkness were named to the Purple & Gold Poet Classic the All-Tournament team. Other players nominated to the team were: Andrew Torres - MVP -(Whittier), Travell Oakes (Albion), Jordan Herron (Albion), and Aljosa Bjekovic (Redlands).
The Banana Slugs will play away from Santa Cruz for the first time this season as their next game is Friday as they take on University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. Tipoff is set for 7 pm.
