Box Score Santa Cruz, CA.— The game was tied up coming out of the halftime break, 27 all. After a layup for
Brandon Roughley, Santa Cruz pushed forward— scoring a quick seven points in just the first three minutes of the second half.
The Ephs then went on a run of their own.
Brandon Arnold was left open on the perimeter and buried a three to bring it within two.
Cole Prowitt-Smith stole the ball and sank another three to give the lead back to the Ephs.
From then on, the teams would stay neck-and-neck. The lead changed five times in the next two minutes as both squads played competitive basketball. A three for
Alex Stoddard at 9:04 would tie the game up at 47 apiece.
However, the Banna Slugs found a new defensive gear, keeping the Ephs scoreless for the next five-and-a-half minutes and going on a 10 point run. By the time Prowitt-Smith scored the Ephs' next points with a driving layup, there were only two minutes left to close an eight point gap.
Though the Ephs made a good effort, they weren't able to complete the comeback and the game ended 59-51 in favor of Santa Cruz. The Ephs were able to take plenty of shots, they just weren't falling and Williams only shot 26% on the night.
These shooting struggles started in the first half as they made only eight of their thirty shots in the half. However, Santa Cruz didn't shoot much better, only making 38% of their attempts.
The Banana Slugs started out their scoring this evening with a hook shot and a three.
Brandon Roughley scored the first points for the Ephs with an up-and-under. After a reverse layup from the Slugs' big man, a three for
Sammy Cooley and an and-one layup for Prowitt-Smith gave the Ephs their first lead.
Similar to the second half, the game stayed mostly competitive throughout the first half. The Ephs put together a particularly good defensive stretch after the Prowitt-Smith layup, getting five stops in a row that culminated in drawing a charge and forcing a timeout.
In the second half, it was the Banana Slugs' defense that stood out. The Ephs were kept to just 25% shooting while Santa Cruz sank an efficient 55% of their looks. This disparity was too much for the Ephs to overcome and the game finished 59-51 Santa Cruz.
The Ephs will play next on Friday January 5 vs. Amherst, at home in Chandler Gym. The game tips off at 7pm.
