WALLA WALLA, Wash. —Four Kinsgmen scored in double figures, but it wasn't enough as Cal Lutheran men's basketball fell to the Whitman Blues 106-69 on Saturday night.
The start of the season featured another tough opponent as Cal Lutheran (0-2) continued its Washington road trip. Whitman made it to the Sweet 16 a year ago and was also ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation.
Calvin Phillips led the Kingsmen with 14 points and went 4-for-6 from three-point range. Brooks Mallory was second with 12 points as he also hit four three-pointers. Connor Cole was next with 11 points and added five rebounds while Charlie Lee scored 10 points and dished out four assists.
Palmer Chaplin had a rough shooting night, but did other things to help his team. He scored four points and added a team high 10 rebounds and five assists. Carlton Brown helped CLU move the ball around as he dished out six assists and pulled down four rebounds.
Cal Lutheran and Whitman were almost even when it came to shooting percentage, however, it was at the free throw line where the Blues won the game. Whitman was 39-for-48 on free throws as the Kingsmen were just 7-of-19.
The Blues defense also stood out as they forced the Kingsmen into 27 turnovers and scored 31 points off of them. They also profited off fast breaks points, scoring 38 while holding CLU to just eight.
CLU took an early lead in the game and led 11-8 after a Mallory three. The Kingsmen increased their lead just slightly as Phillips hit a three to put his team up 20-15 with 13:51 to go in the half. The Blues turned it on after that and scored 13 straight points to take a 28-20 lead.
Whitman was able to coast the rest of the way and took a 54-40 lead into the half. The Blues held the advantage for the rest of the game as they walked off the court with a 106-69 win.
Cal Lutheran continues the season on the road and takes on Johnson & Wales Friday, Nov. 22, at 6:30 pm Pacific Standard Time.
Box Score: WC 106, CLU 69
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director
