OCCIDENTAL TOURNAMENT : SCC Turns Away Occidental With Strong Second Half to Win Title Game, 72-58

Occidental College concluded its nonconference schedule on a down note Saturday night, losing to Southern California College, 72-58, in the championship game of the Occidental tournament.

It was the fifth time in the eight-year history of its tournament that Occidental finished as runner-up. The Tigers’ only tournament title came in 1988 when Occidental defeated Eastern Connecticut State in the final.

Southern California center Jeff Bickmore was Occidental’s nemesis, scoring 17 of his 21 points in the second half to help the Vanguards (9-5) overcome a 23-19 halftime deficit.

“We weren’t playing within our offense in the first half,” said Bickmore, a 6-foot-7, 210-pound junior from Santa Ana. “We made that adjustment in the second half and I got the shots I wanted.”

After playing what Occidental Coach Brian Newhall called his team’s “best half of the year,” the Tigers were unable to keep pace with the Vanguards over the final 20 minutes.

Center Chris Anderson led Occidental (5-8) with 20 points.

“We got hurt the most on our defense in the last 10 minutes,” Newhall said, “and their free throws iced it down the stretch.”

Occidental opens play in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference on Wednesday against Claremont in the first of three consecutive SCIAC home games.

Occidental had a 23-19 lead at halftime thanks to some poor shooting by Southern California College.

Occidental also had trouble shooting in the early going. The Tigers did not make their first field goal until the 15:40 mark, when freshman Phil Engebretsen’s three-point shot put them ahead, 5-2.

And with Southern California College in the midst of a four-minute dry spell, Brett Dennis scored on a layup and Anderson sank a short jumper to give the Tigers a 9-2 lead with 14:30 left in the half.

Southern California College pulled to within 15-14 on a 15-foot jumper by Scott Dwinell. But the Vanguards, who made 10 key free throws down the stretch during their semifinal win over Menlo on Friday, muffed five opportunities to tie the score with free throws.

Anderson’s dunk with 4:35 left in the half put Occidental in front, 17-14.

Southern California College stayed within three points until Occidental guard Nate Thompson hit a three-point shot with 35 seconds left.

The Vanguards’ Dave Blum then made a 15-foot jumper to make the score, 23-19, at intermission.