ORANGE, CALIF. --- The Pacific Lutheran Men's Basketball team returned from the holiday break on Thursday as they fell late to the Chapman Panthers, 83-72.
 
The Panthers took control of the home court advantage early in the game, starting off with an 11-6 run thanks to a pair of threes. Sam Noland and Brandin Riedel kept the Lutes within striking distance as they attacked the paint. Guard Jason Montes subbed into the game after the first six minutes, and got going right away, giving the Lutes their first lead, 16-15, after a mid-range jumper. Chapman would go on to answer with yet another deep ball and a lay-in, but Ashton Rico tied the game for the second time at 20-20. Senior Jackson Reisner made his first appearance in the game with nine minutes left in the first, as he would go on to make the first three-pointer for the Lutes, putting them on top once again, 23-21. The two squads would trade blows, with Riedel finding his grove in the paint, but it was Montes who would execute an and-one with five minutes left in the half; giving the Lutes their largest lead of the half, 32-28. The Lutes found themselves in foul trouble late, with the Panthers sinking numerous free throws and making some noise beyond the arc. At the half, the two teams were tied 40-40.
 
The second half was a back and forth affair, as the two teams were tied six times in the first six minutes of the second half. Miles Nash began to heat up once again, scoring six of the Lutes 12 points during this stretch. Nash later extended the Lutes lead to four for the second time as he made his first from beyond the arc with 12 minutes left in the game. The Panthers could not miss for the next five minutes, going on an 8-0 run to take a four-point lead of their own. Following a Nash floater, the Panthers would find yet another 6-0 run, extending their lead to eight with less than seven minutes remaining in the game. The Lutes would fight back to cut Chapman's lead to just two, but the dagger proved to be the Panthers three-point looks. Three three-pointers in the final three minutes for the Panthers would put the game out of reach. The Panthers would go on to win 83-72.
 
Nash and Riedel led the way in scoring for the Lutes with 19 points on over 50% shooting each. Nash would record 11 rebounds, giving him his second double-double of his PLU career. Noland, Montes, and Riedel earned three assists a piece.
 
As a team, the Lutes shot 54% from the field and 20% from three, taking just 10 shots beyond the arc. The Panthers shot 49% from the field and 41% from three on 27 attempts.
 
The Lutes will finish play in southern California on Saturday at 1 p.m. against Claremont-Mudd-Scripts Colleges in Claremont, Calif.
 
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