LOS ANGELES — Jay Miller scored a game-high 19 points, and Andrew Johnson chipped in nine points and nine boards.

But Caltech's size and physicality limited the Occidental men's basketball to to just 31 percent shooting on the game in a 62-48 win over the Tigers in a first-place showdown at Rush Gymnasium on Saturday.

Season Impact: After winning consecutive road games at Redlands and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps to open the conference schedule, Oxy drops its first SCIAC game to fall to 2-1. The Tigers are 8-4 overall.

Caltech improves to 3-0 in SCIAC and 5-7 overall. The Beavers have won 7 of 10 against SCIAC opponents dating back to last season.

Nasser Al-Rayes and KC Emezie led the Beavers with 15 points and Lawrence Lee added 12.

With all five starters 6-foot-4 or taller, including the 6-foot-10 rim-protecting Al-Rayes, the Beavers won the battle on the boards 39 to 31. 

Through three games Caltech is leading the SCIAC in points allowed (53.5) and field goal percentage defense (34.3).

Spencer Levy scored all eight of his points in the first half. The Tigers led for the first 10 minutes of the first half, before a Caltech run made it 25-22 Beavers at the break.

Caltech made a slow run in the second half as the Tigers struggled to score, extending a double-digit lead. 

Next Game: Oxy returns to action against Chapman at Rush Gym on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.