TACOMA, Washington – Taj Phillips came up with a clutch steal and Mussie Teclemariam finished on the other end to give the Puget Sound men's basketball team a dramatic 77-6 win over Cal Lutheran in Memorial Fieldhouse as part of the Doug McArthur Classic Friday night.
 
Puget Sound starts the season 3-0 for the first time since 2011-12.
 
The Loggers trailed by two, 74-72, with less than two minutes left in regulation when Drew Gillette drilled a 3-pointer from the left side to give Puget Sound a one-point lead.
 
After the teams exchanged missed jumpshots, the Kingsmen earned a trip to the free-throw line and knocked down both opportunities to take a one-point lead with less than one minute on the clock.
 
On the other end of the floor, Liam Ruttledge attacked the basket but missed from the paint. Cal Lutheran corralled the rebound with 20 sounds remaining. As the Kingsmen were setting up its offense, Phillips poked the ball away from the Cal Lutheran ball handler.
 
Both players sprinted to the backcourt and dove for the ball. Phillips got there first, and from the ground he threw a pass to Teclemariam sprinting down the middle of the floor. The big man finished at the rim to give Puget Sound a 77-76 edge with 16 seconds left in regulation.
 
Cal Lutheran got off a mid-range jumper at the buzzer, but it was too strong and bounced off the back rim.
 
Teclemariam scored 15 points and came up just two rebounds shy of a double-double. Ruttledge also finished with 15 points after shooting 4-for-9 from 3-point range. Will Pohland and CJ Geathers added 10 points, each.
 
The Doug McArthur Classic continues Saturday, Nov. 19, when the Loggers host Montana State University-Northern at 7 p.m.