Despite the intense rains of the “Western Wallop” in Southern California, the University of Redlands women's basketball team pelted the Poets of Whittier College in a 61-39 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) victory on Thursday night. The Bulldogs trailed by two after Whittier's opening basket but then erupted with a 47.1% shooting display to capture the important win and improve to 5-0 on the conference season.

By controlling the action in the paint with strong shooting and relentless rebounding, the Maroon and Gray owned an eight-point lead at the end of the first half. Sophomore forward Courtney Carroll (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA) led the offensive outburst with 10 of the team's 25 first-half points.

The second half saw much of the same as the Bulldogs surged past a struggling Poet squad that shot only 26.7% from the field. Redlands enjoyed a 15-6 run in the final eight minutes, securing the 61-39 win to remain undefeated in SCIAC competition.

The Maroon and Gray shot well from every area, hitting 41.7% of its shots from beyond the arc and 80.0% from the charity stripe. In addition, Redlands controlled the boards with a 47 to 26 advantage.

Carroll ended the night with 21 points, going 8-for-16 overall. She also pulled down eight rebounds and added three steals. Junior guard Mariah Barbetti-Cort (Ventura, CA) provided a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while senior Meghan Yetman (Danville, CA) supplied 10 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

The Bulldogs (13-3, 5-0 SCIAC) look forward to a five-game home stand which begins on Saturday with a 5 p.m. showdown with Cal Lutheran University as part of a conference doubleheader with the men.