ORANGE — Kris Montoya led four Oxy scorers in double digits — with a game-high 28 points — and the Occidental College men's basketball team got hot from behind the arc in the second half, overcoming a sluggish start to beat Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) 81-74 at Chapman on Saturday.

Oxy improves to 4-3 overall. Pacific Lutheran falls to 3-5.

The Tigers looked sloppy and a step slow in the first half, falling behind 33-25 after committing 10 turnovers and shooting just 32 percent from the field.

But in the second half Montoya went off as Oxy sped the Lutes up with its full-court press. Montoya was 5 of 7 from the three-point line and 6 of 6 from the free throw line for 25 second-half points.

As a team, the Tigers were 8 of 13 from beyond the arc in the second half.

"Montoya got off to a slow start and I wasn't pleased with our effort early. That's not the kind of basketball we want to play," Oxy head coach Brian Newhall said. "In the second half, we were a lot more focused and our sense of urgency and intensity picked up significantly. Kris obviously made a few big plays and we were able to get away with a quality win."

Montoya hit three-pointers to break a tied score on two different occasions late in the second half and then iced the game with a pull-up three, off an isolation play at the top of the key, putting Oxy up six points with 1:14 left.

The 6-foot-6 senior forward just keeps putting together good performances.  It's the sixth time in seven games this season that he's scored at least 20 points and his 24 points per game average is best among SCIAC players.

It wasn't just Montoya though. Newhall went deeper into his bench in the second half, with more frequent substitutions, and his reserves rewarded him. Erik Eichinger scored five points, Chad Taniokagave the Tigers solid minutes at the point guard spot and Samuel Ravetz defended well. Jay Millerscored a career-high 12 points off the bench and Ty Cobb grabbed nine rebounds.

Juwan Rice added 13 points and dished out four assists for the Tigers and Andrew Johnson scored 11.

Brandon Lester led Pacific Lutheran with 18 points on 4-for-4 shooting from beyond the arc.

Oxy plays its last game before the holiday break again at Chapman on Sunday against UC Santa Cruz at 4 p.m. The Bannana Slugs squeaked out a 68-65 win against the Tigers on New Years Eve last season.

"We have another great opportunity to get a win tomorrow," Newhall said. "We'll get some rest and regroup for a competitive game against UC Santa Cruz."

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