The University of Redlands men's basketball team suffered a costly 65-74 loss to the Tigers of Occidental College last night in Eagle Rock.

The Bulldogs entered the game tied with Occidental for second place in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) standings and had hoped to break the tie with a victory. But Redlands came up short in its quest and now faces a must-win situation on Tuesday night against the University of La Verne. Combined with other results around the league, Saturday's loss drops the Maroon and Gray into a three-way for third place with each team battling for two spots in the SCIAC Postseason Tournament, which begins on Friday.

Last night's game proved to be emotionally charged with so much on the line, not to mention that it was Senior Night for Occidental in a packed house at Rush Gymnasium.

The Bulldogs tipped off the game with an impressive 53.8% performance from the field, compared to the Tigers' 37.8% showing. But Occidental controlled the game with its rebounding, gaining a 24 to 13 edge in the first half, which ended with a tie at 38.

During the second half, the Maroon and Gray made the adjustment on the boards but then struggled offensively, cooling to a mere 25.7 field-goal percentage. The Tigers enjoyed the opposite effect and lit up the scoreboard with their 52.2% performance.

Neither team could break away with a double-digit lead but both squads mustered at least a seven-point advantage during the second stanza.

After tying for the eighth time, now with the score a 57 with just over eight minutes to play, Occidental took control with solid free-throw shooting. The Tigers went to the line 19 times in the second period and converted 12 chances, including eight of their final 10.

Freshman Brian Kuklok (Poway, CA) led the Bulldogs with 14 points off the bench. Senior guard Pat Coffey (San Carlos, CA) and junior guard Justin Sobczyk (Palm Desert, CA) contributed 10 points each.

Redlands (12-12, 8-5 SCIAC) faces a must-win situation on Tuesday to guarantee a spot in the SCIAC Postseason Tournament. The Bulldogs head to the University of La Verne for a 7:30 p.m. battle against the Leopards.