La Verne, Calif. - The Pomona-Pitzer Men's Basketball team used a late 7-0 push to break open a tight game and take a 71-64 road win over La Verne on Saturday afternoon.

With the win, Pomona-Pitzer improves to 7-13 and 5-6 in the SCIAC, keeping its hopes intact for a late run to the conference tournament after an 0-5 league start while several players were missing with injuries. La Verne falls to 8-12 overall and 4-6 in the SCIAC with the loss. 

Senior guard Michael Cohen, who missed the first five conference losses with an injury, tied for team high honors with 22 points, along with senior guard Kyle McAndrews, while Gibson Farone-Collins, who missed three of the losses, had a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

Pomona-Pitzer led 36-35 at the break and took a 40-35 lead in the opening minutes of the second half, but La Verne tied it up 40-40 and the lead was never more than three points either way until a late 7-0 run proved to be the difference. Karl Reyes tied the score 59-59 with 4:56 left for La Verne, and Cohen put Pomona-Pitzer back in front with a pair of foul shots. 

After La Verne missed two chances to tie, both of which were rebounded by Farone-Collins, Cohen drove to the basket for a right-handed lay-up with 2:52 left to make the score 63-59 and give the Sagehens the first two-possession lead in 16 minutes. After a La Verne turnover, senior guard Adrian Brandon converted a three-point play to push the lead to 66-59.  

The Leopards got the lead down to four twice in the final minute, but both times McAndrews hit both foul shots to help put the game away. Brandon finished with 11 points to give Pomona-Pitzer four players in double figures, while Hakim Arnold led the way for La Verne with 20. 

The Sagehens return to action on Tuesday when they host Occidental for a 7:30 p.m. contest.