Owls Can't Cool Corsairs

No. 3-ranked Citrus College had to dig deep late in the game but came up just short in a 90-87 loss to Santa Monica College Wednesday night.

With the loss, the Owls slip to 20-3 overall and 8-1 in Western State Conference-South action but remain in first place. The Corsairs improve to 11-12 overall and 7-2 in conference, just one game behind the Owls in second place.

Four Owls finished the night in double figures, led by Jayden Johnston with 18 points (7-for-9). Chris Chiles followed with 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting and dished out six assists. Aibigho Ujadughele posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, also adding four steals and three assists, while Rudy Suarez chipped in 10 points.

The Owls won the glass 42-to-35 but the Corsairs were shooting on all cylinders and finished 53.6 percent from the floor, including 56.6 percent from three-point range.

The game had 10 ties and 22 lead changes and came down to the final seconds of the game. Ujadughele grabbed a big defensive rebound and found Jamal Briscoe on a quick outlet to put Citrus within three points. Santa Monica proceeded to turn the ball over, but the buzzer-beating three-pointer didn't fall for the Owls to let the Corsairs sneak away with the 90-87 win.   

Citrus looks to bounce back on Saturday as the College of the Canyons comes to the Owls' Nest for a 5:30 p.m. tip.