Zach Baines set the Occidental single-game scoring record with 50 points as the Oxy men's basketball team blew out Pacific 112-80 at Rush Gym on Wednesday night.

Oxy improves to a perfect 10-0 on the season going into the holiday break.

Baines was on the finishing end of the court against Pacific's all-out pressure defense in the back court. When Oxy made passes ahead he made the break count, finishing the game 22-for-26 from the field on dunks, layups and short jump shots in transition. He also went 6-for-8 from the foul line and had a game-high 12 rebounds. 

The previous Oxy record was 46 set by Morgan Bell in 1996.

Baines is now up to 925 points at Oxy in his third year with the Tigers, and well over 1,000 for his career at 1,229 points if you add in his total in 35 games before transfering from Middlebury. 

Ryan Kaneshiro and Jonny Crosthwaite were outstanding handling the first wave of Pacific's pressure so Jacob Adler and Austin DeWitz could catch the pass in the open either to finish it or drop it to Baines. Kaneshiro finished with seven points, six assists and no turnovers, Crosthwaite had 13 points, six assists and 10 rebounds, and Jacob Adler had nine points, eight assists and six rebounds on 4-for-5 shooting.

DeWitz was a horse in the middle of the court, getting open and advancing the ball. He finished with 24 points on 9 for 11 shooting, had six rebounds and five assists.

Zach Baines finished well for Occidental against Pacific, going 22-for-26 from the floor.
Occidental athletics file photo by Samsphotoservices.com
 

Oxy as a group took care of the basketball, turning the ball over just 18 times against the waves of pressure the Pacific defense brings. 

Oxy got a boost off its bench from Kyle Dosa, who handled Pacific's pressure well, and Connor Dargan, who bailed Oxy out of some DeWitz foul trouble midway through the second half. Tyler Sweeney also had a good run, finishing with four points and a pair of rebounds. 

Marcus Wallace led Pacific with 25 points on 8 for 18 shooting. 

The Tigers' defense was also outstanding, holding the Boxers to their lowest scoring output of the season. Pacific came into the game averaging 109 points per game and had a previous low in points of 83 in a loss to Whitman.

Pacific falls to 4-5 overall and is 2-2 against the SCIAC this season. The Boxers beat Cal Lutheran and Redlands and lost to Chapman.

Next Game: Oxy is back in action after the holiday break on Dec. 28 against UC Santa Cruz at Rush Gym.