Owls Pull Away in Second Half to Defeat Santa Monica, 100–83

No. 3 in the state ranked Citrus College Men's Basketball defeated Santa Monica College 100–83 on the road on Wednesday, February 11. The win improves the Owls to 24–1 overall and 11–0 in conference, extending their winning streak to 19 games.

Citrus pulled away after a tightly contested first half that featured eight ties and 12 lead changes, building a game-high 20-point advantage midway through the second half. The Owls shot efficiently, hitting 48.7% from the field and 36.0% from three (9-of-25), while holding Santa Monica to 47.5% overall and 31.6% from deep. At the free-throw line, Citrus converted 17-of-24 (70.8%), just behind Santa Monica's 72.4%.

Citrus dominated the glass, finishing with a 46–30 rebounding advantage, outscored the Corsairs 52–32 in the paint, and held a 16–12 edge in second-chance points. Ball movement was a key factor, as the Owls tallied 27 assists to Santa Monica's 14. Citrus also showcased depth, outscoring the bench 23–10, forcing 17 turnovers, and adding a 12–8 advantage in fastbreak points.

Rockwell Reynolds led Citrus in the first half with 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting and four rebounds. Leo Ricketts contributed five points and three assists, while JJ Sanchez added six points and two steals. Dev Hamilton chipped in three points and two rebounds, and Amiri Meadows recorded two assists, two steals, and three rebounds. Off the bench, Alek Sanchez provided seven points on perfect shooting, along with four rebounds and two assists, while Mikal Sims scored five points and Dylan Victorio added two points and three rebounds. The Owls shot 39.5% from the field and 25.0% from three in the half, totaling 22 rebounds, 11 assists, and 10 steals.

Citrus turned up the intensity in the second half. Leo Ricketts poured in 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including three three-pointers, while dishing out six assists. Rockwell Reynolds added 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting, four rebounds, and two blocks. Amiri Meadows and JJ Sanchez each scored nine points, with Meadows adding three assists and two rebounds and Sanchez contributing four assists and two boards. Dev Hamilton chipped in four points and three rebounds.

From the bench, Dylan Victorio scored four points with three rebounds, and Alek Sanchez added three points and a rebound. Ian Salmon and Brady Orr each grabbed two boards, helping Citrus match its first-half rebounding total. The Owls shot 57.9% from the field and 46.2% from three in the second half while going a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line, finishing with 22 rebounds, 16 assists, and two blocks.

Up next, Citrus travels to face Bakersfield College on Saturday, February 14, in a Valentine's Day rematch. The Owls defeated the Renegades 109–78 at home on January 21. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.