COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Middleton Scores 23, Chapman Beats CCI

Chapman made its NAIA breakthrough and Rog Middleton took another step up the Panther career-scoring chart Friday night in Orange.

Middleton, a senior forward, scored 23 points in a 74-58 nonconference victory over Christ College Irvine and moved past Jeff Cotwright (1961-64) into second place. Middleton has 1,577 points. The leader, Bob Hamblin, scored 1,884 points between 1956 and ’59.

After losing their first three games to NAIA District 3 teams, the NCAA Division II Panthers handily defeated Christ College Irvine.

It has been season of inconsistency for the Panthers (5-4), who are adjusting to the addition of eight players. On consecutive nights on their most-previous trip, the Panthers were beaten by Bethany, a lightly regarded District 3 team, and defeated NCAA Division II San Francisco State by 22 points.

Although they never trailed, Friday, the Panthers showed they are not completely together.

Chapman started slowly, scoring only 13 points in the first nine minutes and 15 in the first 12.

“I think our team showed the effects of a finals week,” Chapman Coach Bob Boyd said. “I think we were a little sluggish.”

The Panthers finally broke out of their doldrums to go on a 9-1 run in the last two minutes of the second half and took a 31-20 lead.

That lead was soon extended. The Panthers shot 68% from the field in the second half and 61% for the game and led by as many as 21 points in the second half.

Christ College Irvine (5-6) was playing without starting point guard Charles Lockard, who has been ill this week. Another guard, Darren Lax, is out for the season with a broken foot.

That left the Eagles’ scoring to D’Andre Brown, a 6-foot-5 junior transfer from Cerritos College, who led all-scorers with 26 points.

Mike Vaughn scored 14 points and Vern Broadnax had 10 for Chapman.

But Middleton, who has led the team in scoring the past two seasons, provided most of the offense. He made eight of nine shots from the field and seven of 10 free throws.

In nonconference women’s basketball:

Ohio State 80, Cal State Fullerton 71--Despite 24 points from Joey Ray, the Titans’ 15-game homecourt winning streak was ended by the 23rd-ranked Buckeyes.

Fullerton (5-2) held a 22-15 advantage with 8:02 left in the first half before Lavona Turner scored seven points and Averill Roberts six during a 16-2 run which gave Ohio State (5-2) the lead for good.

Heidi James (16), Kisa Hughes (15) and Claudette Jackson (10) also finished in double figures for Fullerton. Ray hit five three-pointers, one off her school record.

Fullerton’s streak equaled the sixth-longest current Division I streak.