KENOSHA, Wisc. -
Jai Deshpande scored a game-high 25 points off the bench including 5-8 in three pointers to guide the Whitman College men's basketball team to a 75-67 season-opening win at Carthage on Wednesday night at Tarble Arena.
Walter Lum stuffed the stat sheet for the Blues (1-0) who doubled up Carthage in the assist department (18-9). Lum scored 12 points to go along with game highs of eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals.
Fillip Bulatovic led Carthage with 21 points and seven rebounds and Julian Campbell added 14 points, five boards and two blocks.
It was a second-half surge that lifted the Blues to win. After Campbell's layup cut the Whitman lead to two just over two minutes into the second half, the Blues reeled off 14 unanswered points highlighted by back-to-back three pointers from Deshpande. Lum added a three ball of his own and capped the run with a driving layup to give the Blues a 50-34 lead with 13:34 to play.
The lead swelled to as many as 20 points off another Deshpande three with 10:30 to play. Carthage remained in striking distance but was never able to significantly close the gap.
The Blues were dominant in the second half but the first 20 minutes featured a tight contest. A pair of buckets from Deshpande gave his team a 15-10 lead, but Carthage responded and shaved the deficit to one point off an Anthony Bernero layup. The run continued for the Firebirds who scored eight unanswered points and extended the lead to five. Whitman responded with an 8-2 run and closed the half with a one-point lead.
Whitman continues its three-game midwest road swing with a visit to Carroll College on Friday, Nov. 11. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. CT (5:00 p.m. PT).
