SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – Taj Phillips led the Loggers with a career-high 28 points in a thrilling rematch with UC Santa Cruz at the Kaiser Permanente Arena on Wednesday afternoon with a loss of 75-72 on the last day of the 2023 Holiday Classic. 

Phillips also contributed six assists and four boards. Liam Ruttledge followed with 14 points going 4-for-7 from the floor, while Dezman Baker scored 10 points and six boards adding two blocks. Freshman Hugo Rutherfurd scored nine points and nine boards. 

The game started at a blistering pace, with both teams showcasing their offensive skill. Taj Phillips started the scoring adding five to the board and establish dominance early on as both teams fought for the lead. The Loggers managed a nine point lead off an 8-1 run and maintained that lead until the UCSC Banana Slugs tied it up with 0:25 left in the first half. The Banana Slugs took the lead to start the second half. 

During the second half, the Loggers made valiant efforts to bridge the point gap, but UC Santa Cruz's defense stood tall and restricted their scoring opportunities. Rutherford and Baker fought hard under the rim, grabbing rebounds and contributing valuable points in the paint. 

Ruttledge and Phillips impressed with some remarkable shots beyond the arc, stifling UC Santa Cruz's defense and providing the Loggers a chance to regain momentum. The Loggers had an overall better shooting percentage and with 0:06 seconds remaining made it within one point of UCSC after Ruttledge was fouled outside the three point line and made all three extra points. The Loggers couldn't knock off enough points to catch the Banana Slugs, however Phillips was honored as part of the UCSC Classic All Tournament Team to end the California adventure. 

The Loggers have the next week off for the winter holiday break and return home to face Douglas College at 2 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 29.