CLAREMONT, Calif. - Cahal Connolly had 19 points and Will Householter added 17 as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's basketball team pulled away from Cal Lutheran for an 80-56 win on Wednesday evening at Roberts Pavilion. 

With the win, the 13th-ranked Stags improve to 19-2 overall and 10-2 in the SCIAC, maintaining its share of first place with two weeks left in the regular season. Cal Lutheran slips to 10-11 overall and 5-7 in conference play with the loss. 

As a team, CMS had 20 assists and only three turnovers, while all nine Stags who played had at least one steal. Joey Kennedy had a strong line of 12 points, seven rebounds, five assists and no turnovers for CMS, while Reid Jones had 12 points, six rebounds and four assists. Brady Karich just missed making it five starters in double figures with eight points on 3-3 shooting to go with five assists. 

The score was tied 18-18 before the Stags took the lead for good with a 10-0 run, with Karich scoring four points during the run and Samuel Gibbs capping it off with a jumper in the paint.

A three-pointer from Jones gave CMS its largest lead of the half at 40-25 with 1:47 left, before the Stags settled for a 42-30 lead at the break. Cal Lutheran got back within 47-37 early in the second half, but a dunk from Connolly followed by two baskets from Householter pushed the lead to 16, and CMS was able to cruise to the win. 

CMS will be back in action when it returns home on Saturday for a 2 p.m. game against Whittier.