SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – The Caltech men's basketball opened its season with an away match against UC Santa Cruz.

The Banana Slugs were a tough first matchup for the Beavers, but they were still able to get their feet under them in the first game of the season.

Junior guard Noah Hicks (Oxford, Ga. / George Walton Academy) knocked down five shots and scored a team-high 11 points in the opener. Hicks also made an impact on the boards grabbing five defensive rebounds for the Beavers. Sophomore forward Ryan Hu (Bellevue, Wash. / Newport) dropped seven points shooting 50% from the field.

First-year guard Chase Williamson (McDonough, Ga. / Union Grove) made an immediate impact for Caltech, leading the team in rebounds. He totaled six rebounds grabbing three defensive and three offensive boards. Williamson also dished out four assists and scored six points.

First-year center Stuart Florescu (Toronto, Ont. / Crescent School) got involved on the glass and defensively. He snagged four boards and made an impact block; the only block of the match for Caltech.

Caltech was outscored in the point 42 to 15, an area they will look to improve on going forward. Despite their struggles in the paint, the Beavers' bench provided a spark with 15 points. The team was also able manage 10 points off turnovers, another category they will look to build on going forward.

Head coach Oliver Eslinger and the Beavers will look to bounce back in their next matchup which will take place this Saturday, Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. against George Fox University. Live video and live stats links are available at https://gocaltech.com/coverage.

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