SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – A 14-0 run to start the game and an 11-2 streak to close the first half propelled Whitman College's men's basketball team to an easy 72-49 non-conference victory over the host Banana Slugs from the University of California Santa Cruz Sunday afternoon at Kaiser Permanente Arena.

Jackson Clough, who finished with a game-high 19 points, scored the opening basket for Whitman (3-2) then later added a three-pointer within the game-starting run that left the Banana Slugs (2-5) trailing by 14 points before even five minutes had elapsed.

Philip Chircu and Christian McDonald booked the other points in the streak with Chircu putting the finishing touches on it by converting free throws on the back end of a pair of successful layups and UCSC fouls that sent him to the line.

Whitman's start was so dominant that Santa Cruz was forced to register its initial four points from the free-throw line, unable to sink anything from the field until 13 minutes and 28 seconds remained before halftime.

Over those final minutes the Banana Slugs scratched their way back to a nine-point deficit, 29-20, with 4:22 left but a Clough trey kicked off the 11-2 streak to push the Missionaries to a 40-22 lead entering the break.

Whitman came out of the intermission and extended the lead on a Rolaun Dunham layup then built its advantage to 25 on Evan Martin's layup before the midpoint of the second half. Santa Cruz continued to battle, eventually pulling within 14 with 5:33 on the clock but a Dunham three-pointer sparked a 14-2 run that emphatically put an end to the home team's hopes of an improbable comeback.

Eleven different players scored for Whitman in the win with McDonald and Chircu, each with 10 points, joining Clough in double figures. Clough and Dominic Lippi both pulled down eight rebounds apiece to help Whitman establish a dominating 45-34 presence on the glass.

Jared Ponce netted a team-high 15 points and Tre Weston came away with a game-high nine rebounds for Santa Cruz in the loss.

The M's return home to the confines of George Ball Court in the Sherwood Athletics Center for their next contest, a non-conference game against cross-town foe Walla Walla University at 7 p.m. on December 6.