Five score double figures in rivalry victory at Pacific Union

ANGWIN, Calif. – Even though Cal Maritime held a 46-37 lead at halftime of Thursday's game at Covered Wagon, host Pacific Union turned its deficit into a two-point hole with nine minutes remaining until Cal Maritime stepped up its game on both ends of the court to pull away from the Pioneers and win the opening matchup of this season's rivalry series, 99-90 (a margin that would have ended in double digits were it not for a last-second three scored by PUC). 

With this result, Cal Maritime will enter Tuesday's 7:30 p.m. home game against William Jessup with a 3-4 overall and 3-0 Cal Pac record. Pacific Union will end its three-game homestand at 1-10 and 1-3 after suffering its fifth loss in the last six played on its home court vs. Cal Maritime.

Including last year's sweep, the Keelhaulers won the last six straight head-to-head games — a total that includes all four played throughout the Tim Bross era.

As a team, CSUM connected on just over half of its shots from the floor — 32 of 63 — to finish with a .508 overall shooting percentage and dominated the glass by collecting nearly twice as many total rebounds: 41, compared to the Pioneers' 21.

Led by Lee Jones Jr. and his career-high 26 points, five Keelhaulers finished in double figures. Joining the team's point guard to comprise this group were Lunden Taylor (19 pts.), Miles Pennington (18), Braxton Adderly (13) and Divine Nwoko (12), who ended his evening with a double-double that also included a game-high 10 boards.