WHITTIER, Calif. - Joey Kennedy led the way with 19 points and 13 rebounds to help lift the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's basketball team to a 70-59 road win over Whittier on Saturday afternoon at Dave Jacobs Court. 

With the win, CMS moves to 9-0 on the year, and starts out 2-0 in SCIAC play. Whittier falls to 4-2 overall and 1-1 in the SCIAC with the loss. 

Cahal Connolly scored an efficient 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting for CMS while Will Householter had 12 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Stags. Jonathan Duley tallied a game-high 22 points for Whittier and Brandon Andrews added 14 points, three rebounds and three assists for the Poets. 

CMS uncharacteristically shot 0-15 from the three-point range, but held a 16-7 advantage in second chance points and a 10-2 margin in fast break points. The Stags also took advantage of the Poets inside the paint, controlling a dominant 40-10 advantage in paint points and scored 21 points off turnovers compared to five for Whittier. 

The Stags led 16-11 in the first half after Luke Jacobson made a layup with 11:38 remaining. Duley converted a jumper to give the Poets a 21-20 lead with 8:17 left in the first half but CMS used a 17-7 run to close out the half, taking a 37-28 lead into halftime. 

Whittier outscored CMS 8-2 four minutes into the second half, getting within three, 39-36 after a Duley jump shot. Samuel Gibbs and Householter scored on back-to-back possessions to extend the Stags lead to 43-36 with 14:36 left to play.

Householter made a layup to give the Stags a 50-45 advantage with 10:43 remaining but Whittier responded with a 10-3 run to get back within striking distance. Jacobs made a three and Duley made a pair of free throws to tie the game at 50-50.

The Poets took a 55-53 lead after Chinecherem Nwanevu made a three-pointer with 7:21 remaining but CMS went on to close the game out on a 9-0 run, holding the Poets scoreless over the last five minutes. Reid Jones made a pair of free throws, Connolly scored four consecutive points and Brady Karich added a free throw before Jones converted a jumper to lift the Stags to a 70-59 victory, to remain undefeated on the year.

CMS will be back in action on December 16 when it hosts to Whitworth for a non-conference matchup at 5 p.m.