Photo by: Haruna Tomono, Caltech Yearbook

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Feb. 5, 2022) – A balanced offensive effort from the starting five and top-level composure from senior Noah Barnes (Springfield, Va. / Jefferson) down the stretch led to men's basketball claiming the third and deciding game of the season series at rival Occidental College on Saturday afternoon.

Despite trailing by two after a characteristically defensive battle in the first half and being outshot by five percent from the floor, Caltech posted big advantages in the turnover (13-18), three-point (10-5) and free throw (13-7) battles over the balance of the game. The Beavers quickly built up a lead in the second half before Oxy rallied briefly to regain a one-point edge at the 12:15 mark.

The foes dug back in on defense from that point until the Beavers offense exploded for 21 points down the stretch, with Barnes hitting a free throw to break a 47-47 tie with 6:55 remaining and knocking down a three for the two-possession edge. The Tigers had a last-gasp effort to pull back within three at 59-56 and 61-58 with 2:54 and 2:01 left on the clock, but Barnes hit another back-breaking three with 1:39 left to force Oxy into fouling over the final 90 seconds as they failed to score again.

Barnes totaled 13 points on the day as one of four Beavers in double figures. Senior Stephen Hei (Newcastle, Wash. / Liberty) dropped a team-high 18 points, though in atypical fashion as he hit only one three-pointer while earning 13 trips to the free throw line, where he accumulated half his tally. Classmate Marcus Gee (Santa Monica, Calif. / Santa Monica) contributed 11 on 3-for-8 long-range shooting and chipped in a valuable four rebounds, four steals and three assists.

Head Coach Dr. Oliver Eslinger and the Beavers host Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges in a makeup of the postponed Jan. 5 matchup on Monday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m.