WAUKESHA, Wisc. -
Murphy Caffo posted team-highs of 14 points and six rebounds, but it came in a losing effort as the Whitman College men's basketball team lost for the first time this season in a 77-60 defeat by North Central in the team's final game of the Carroll College Tip-Off Classic on Saturday night.
Walter Lum and Jai Deshpande both added 10 points with Lum adding three assists and three steals. Lum capped a solid two days with a selection to the Classic all-tournament team.
Whitman (2-1) matched up well in just about every major offensive category, but monster games from the combination of Ethan Helwig and Matt Helwig led to the Cardinals connecting on 53% of their three-point shots. Ethan Helwig dropped a game-high 32 points and Matt Helwig poured in 23.
The Blues shot it decently in the first half but North Central was lights out in putting 45 points up on the scoreboard. Xzavier Lino nailed a three pointer to put Whitman up by two points early, but the Cardinals ran off 11 unanswered points and led 16-7 approaching the midpoint of the first half.
Deshpande responded for the Blues and cut the lead to three points with a layup, but Ethan Helwig's three pointer extended the lead to double digits at 23-13 with 7:54 to play. Helwig caught fire down the stretch, hitting consecutive three pointers to push the Cardinal lead to 15 points and a 45-29 lead heading to halftime.
Whitman trailed by as many as 23 points early in the second half but rallied to shave the lead to single digits. The Blues regrouped as Deshpande hit from three and Caffo got his jumper in the post to go. Later, Lum hit a three pointer then Lino did the same from the opposite corner and all of a sudden the North Central lead was only nine points with 10:45 to play in the game.Â
The Blues would cool off though and go nearly four minutes without scoring a point. Lum got to the hoop for a layup but by that time North Central had re-established control and led 62-47 with 6:57 to play.
Whitman remained in the hunt but were never able to cut the lead back to single digits.
After three straight on the road to open the season, the Blues tipoff their home opener Saturday, Nov. 19 vs. Sul Ross State. Start time at the Sherwood Center is set for 3:00 p.m.
