CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Saint Mary's men's basketball (3-7) team fell to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (8-2) with a final score of 87-49 in a non-conference game held at Roberts Pavilion in Claremont, California. It's the team's first game since their loss on December 11th for Saint John's.
 
Bailey McDonald led the team with 10 points, shooting 4-for-9 from the field and contributing one block, one steal, and two assists. Jabari Sawyer also scored 10 points, making three of six baskets, including two 3-pointers, and recorded four rebounds. Jackson Harvey added nine points, connecting on four of seven shots, while leading the team with five rebounds. Jemari Moore contributed seven points, hitting three of five attempts from the field and providing two assists. 
 
The Cardinals got off to a strong start, with Sawyer hitting the opening jumper to score the first basket of the game. Breyton Buysman followed up with four consecutive points, and Harvey chipped in his first as the Cardinals took an early 11-6 lead over the Stags.
 
McDonald came up with a steal, leading to an open shot for Harvey, adding some of the final points before the Stags surged ahead. In the final ten minutes of the half, the Stags capitalized on six turnovers, launching a 31-10 run to close out the period with a commanding 42-21 lead at halftime.
 
Moore scored the first points of the second half for the Cardinals, while Sawyer drained back-to-back three-pointers and grabbed a steal during a two-minute stretch, cutting into the Stags' lead, which stood at 52-29.
 
Sawyer Markham scored his first points with a floater 12 minutes left in the half, but the Cardinals went cold for the next four minutes. During that stretch, the Stags extended their lead to an unreachable 61-36.
 
McDonald sparked an 8-0 personal run, hitting a jumper and back-to-back three-pointers, with each assist coming from Milan Adamovic. Adamovic played a key role in setting up his teammates for successful shots and then scored a three of his own, marking his first points of the evening.
 
Unfortunately, the Cardinals were held scoreless in the final five minutes of play and ultimately fell to the Stags, 87-49, in the opening game of the California series.
 
The men's basketball team will have an opportunity to bounce back in a 5 p.m. (PDT) game against Caltech tomorrow, as they look to close out their California trip on a high note.