PASADENA (12-13) – Cal Tech outscored UC Santa Cruz by fourteen points in the second half en route to a 70-48 win.

The Banana Slugs dropped their second game of  quick two-game roadtrip to go to 2-7 this season.
In the first half, the two teams would play back-and-forth basketball for the first eight and a half minutes of the half. The Banana Slugs tied the game, at 8-8 on a Sohan Kshirsagar three-pointer with 11:27 left in the half. The Beavers however answered with a 14-0 run, capped by a Kyle McGraw three pointer with 6:34 left in the half, to take the lead for good at 22-8, their largest of the half. The Beavers led 34-26 at halftime.

In the second half, the Banana Slugs would come as close as four, at 36-32, on an Ian McCloskey three-pointer with 18:06 left. The Beavers however would go on a 34-16 run the rest of the way, capped by a James Downs three pointer with 1:01 left.

Zach Granberry had a season-high eleven points off the bench to lead the Banana Slugs. Matthew McDonald had a career-high eight rebounds off the bench along with five points. McGraw had a game-high fifteen for the Beavers, who improved to 6-3 after their fifth-straight win.

The Banana Slugs shot 29.3% (17-58) from the field, 26.9% (7-26) from the three-point line and were 41.2% (7-17) from the free throw line. Cal Tech outrebounded UC Santa Cruz 42-38 and the Beavers outscored the Banana Slugs 36-30 in points off the bench.

The Banana Slugs will start a two-game homestand this Friday at the West Field House as they take on Lewis and Clark College at 7 pm.