Caltech snaps 310-game conference skid

[spydah]

After 26 years, the streak is finally over.

Caltech ended its run of 310 consecutive losses in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the longest conference losing streak in the nation, on Tuesday with a 46-45 victory over Occidental in its season finale.

The streak started on Jan. 23, 1985, in a 48-47 loss to La Verne.

Senior Ryan Elmquist scored the winning point, making the first of two free throws with three seconds left, before Occidental missed a desperation shot at the buzzer.

"Tonight's win is a testament to the hard work each member of this team, the alumni and the supporters have put into this program. I hope that everyone who has participated in Caltech men's basketball is able to celebrate a little bit tonight," Caltech coach Oliver Eslinger said.

"We still have goals and aspirations that we want to accomplish as a program and this win is another step toward meeting these objectives."

Division III Caltech is a famed private research university with a heavy emphasis on science and engineering. The school has just 950 undergraduates, but 31 alumni and faculty have won the Nobel Prize.

In 2007, Caltech snapped a record 207-game NCAA losing streak with an 81-52 win over Bard College of New York.

The Beavers finish the season with a 5-20 record, their best mark in 15 years. Last season, they went 0-25 and hadn't won more than one game in any of their previous eight seasons

Meanwhile, the women's basketball team finished its season 0-25, losing to Occidental 82-35 on Tuesday night.

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