Pair of Late Field Goals Sinks Host Riverside as Mt. San Antonio Wins, 76-74, Saturday

RIVERSIDE -- Losing a late lead after overcoming a 14-point first-half deficit, the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers men's basketball team dropped a 76-74 nonconference home decision to the visiting Mt. San Antonio College (MSAC) Mounties Saturday evening (Dec. 19) at legendary Arthur N. Wheelock Gymnasium on the RCC campus.

Riverside (8-7 overall) was coming off a 70-67 overtime win at Barstow College last Wednesday (Dec. 16). MSAC led, 27-13, with 6:55 to play in the first en route to a 37-31 halftime lead.

RCC sophomore forward Sage Woodruff (Los Angeles / Fairfax HS '14) kept the Tigers in the game in the opening stanza with 17 points and was the only player on either team to score double digits in points in the first half.

RCC freshman guard Tramel Wilson (Hawthorne / Washington Prep. '15) gave the Tigers their last lead at 72-71 with 1:46 to play.

Up stepped MSAC sophomore guard Charlie Evans IV (Covina / Montebello-St. John Bosco Prep.) who promptly drained a three-pointer with 1:20 to play to give the Mounties a 74-72 lead. RCC then turned the ball over in the backcourt, again setting the stage for Evans who pumped in another jumper with 21 seconds left to give MSAC a 76-72 advantage.

Evans led the Mounties (6-7 overall) with 18 points and was one of four Maroon-clad visitors with double digits in points.

RCC freshman guard Andy Cleaves II (Riverside / John W. North HS '14) tossed in a game-high 22 points. Woodruff finished with 21 points and also had a team-high six rebounds.

RCC will be idle for the next ten days before hosting the Ventura College Pirates on Wednesday, Dec. 30. Current (third-year) RCC head men's basketball coach Phil Mathews spent ten formative seasons (1986-1995) at VC as its head coach wher he won state championships in 1986-87 and 1994-95.

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