WHITTIER, Calif. - AJ Rohosy had 20 points and 12 rebounds, but Whittier scored 53 points in the second half to edge past the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's basketball team and capture a 76-71 win on Saturday evening. 

This result allowed Whittier to improve to 8-4 in the SCIAC, pulling within one game in the loss column with CMS, which fell to 8-3 in league play. CMS split the season series with Whittier after dominating the first meeting at home 93-71 on Dec. 7.

AJ Rohosy led the Stags with 20 points on 9-for-13 shooting and 12 rebounds. This marked his ninth double-double of the season, seven of which have come in SCIAC games. He has scored at least 20 points in four straight games and eight of the last nine.

In the second half, the Poets used a 17-2 run to turn a 43-43 tie into a 60-45 lead. With the Poets up 16, Caelan Jones and Neil Owens hit threes to get it back down to 10, and Reid Jones had a fast-break layup with 4:04 to go to make it a single-digit game at 63-55.

Caelan Jones knocked down a three-pointer with 30 seconds left to make it a single-possession game, and the Stags momentarily had possession after a Nathan Noronha steal, but Morgan Cox stole it back and made two foul shots. Reid Jones had two foul shots to make it 72-69 with seven seconds left, but Chine Nwanevu got in behind the CMS press for a dunk to seal it. 

In the first half, CMS established an early lead with Rohosy scoring two baskets to put CMS ahead 5-0. The Poets responded with a 10-0 run, highlighted by a three-pointer from Sean Cervantes and a fast-break layup from Aamari Smith. However, CMS regained the lead with Reid Jones and Cahal Connolly each making key baskets, securing a 25-23 lead by the end of the half.

Reid Jones contributed significantly, adding 16 points, six rebounds, and leading in assists with six, while Caelan Jones also played a key role with 14 points.

CMS will be back in action when it hosts Occidental on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.