The Colorado College men's basketball team took No. 2 Washington University to the wire after nearly overcoming a 19-point second-half deficit. The Tigers went on a 20-7 run over the final six minutes of play but came up short against WashU in a 69-63 final score in Memphis, Tenn, at the Rhodes College All-Academic Classic. 
 
Senior Scott Ruegg scored a season-high 19 points after shooting 5-11 (45.5 percent) from three-point range. He finished with three rebounds and three assists. 
 
Junior Asher Nofziger and Senior Devin Philio combined for 25 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and four blocks. 
 
Sophomore Ty Hendler added 11 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a steal. 
 
After trailing 29-23 at the halftime break, the Tigers fell behind 62-43 with 6:46 left. Philio and the Tigers started to chip away at the lead with a lay-in to make it 62-45. CC went on an 11-0 run capped by a Ty Hendler layup with 3:49 remaining, which cut the lead down to eight. 
 
The Bears made a three to answer, end the mini-scoring drought, and bring the lead back up to 11 with 3:36 remaining. However, Ruegg responded with a triple of his own on the ensuing play. 
 
29 seconds later, Phllio snuck inside the paint and laid it off the glass to make it a two-possession game with 2:44 left. Still, down 67-61 with 2:13 left, the Tigers attempted to make a stop for an opportunity to return to a one-score contest. Nofziger blocked a WashU shot, and Hendler converted on a layup on the opposite side to make it 67-63 with 1:23 remaining. 
 
Both teams continued to exchange shots, but the Tigers couldn't convert on another field goal after three attempted three-pointers. The Bears made another layup with 21 seconds left to make the final score 69-63. 
 
CC drops to 2-3 on the season but will get a chance to go 1-1 on the weekend when it takes on the University of Chicago tomorrow at 11 am MT.