LA VERNE, CA— The Leopards played a strong first half against a fast-paced Grinnell College squad, but the Pioneers pulled ahead with three-pointers in the second half to beat the University of La Verne men's basketball 101-76 on Saturday. 

Kason White grabbed a team-high and personal best nine rebounds to go with seven points. Cody Aquino led the Leopards with a season-high 12 points. Francisco Muhammad played his best game as a Leopard, scoring 11 points off three three-pointers in just 13 minutes of action.

The Leopards kept pace with Grinnell, known for their full court pressure and relentless three-point shooting, in the first half. Jackson Gray knocked down two free throws and a three-pointer to even the score at 26-26 midway through the first half. Gray, who scored a personal best 17 points against the ETBU Tigers a day prior, finished with eight points against the Pioneers. La Verne held Grinnell to just four three-pointers in the first half and went in to the break down just 42-38.

Percy Whittaker had a strong second half, scoring six of his eight points. Elijah Akande assisted on a pair of Muhammed buckets. But the Pioneers got hot from range in the final 20 minutes, knocking down eight threes to pull away.

The Leopards are back in action on January 7, at 7 p.m. at The Tents against Cal Lutheran.