LOS ANGELES — Austin DeWitz and the Occidental men's basketball team fought through fatigue in their third game in five days to edge Caltech 60-54 at Rush Gym on Wednesday.

As the Tigers struggled to find the basket and had their double-digit lead dwindle down to just 56-54, they managed to get key stops.

Then with the ball and 58 seconds left, Caleb Yellin-Flaherty, who was good on the offensive glass all night, made an interior pass to Zach Baines who got fouled. Baines made 1 of 2 free throws and then the Tigers locked down, forced a turnover and recovered the loose ball. Baines came up with it, calling a timeout and giving the Tigers an opportunity to win the game at the free throw line.

DeWitz, who was hot in the first half, but cooled with the rest of the group in the second, stepped up and made the first free throw. On the second, he missed short, but Yellin-Flaherty grabbed the biggest of his four offensive rebounds and team-high eight total rebounds to give the Tigers another possession. Oxy had to inbound the ball with Caltech not yet in the bonus and DeWitz made his free throws to put the game out of reach.

DeWitz finished with 22 points, 7 for 14 from the field, 8 of 13 from the free throw line, and had four assists and three steals. 

Baines had 15 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Yellin-Flaherty had nine points, Jonny Crosthwaite had eight points and Ryan Kaneshiro had four points, eight assists and five rebounds. 

Spencer Schneider led Caltech with 17 points, and Alec Andrews and David Kawashima each added 12.

The Beavers shot the ball well from beyond the 3-point line, going 8 of 20 for the game. 

Season Impact: Oxy improves to 11-2 overall and 4-0 in SCIAC.

Caltech falls to 3-11 and 1-4.

Next Game: Oxy is back in action against Pomona-Pitzer at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Rush Gym.