REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Women's Basketball team (6-8, 2-4 SCIAC) was unable to maintain their first half momentum Saturday night as they fell to Occidental College 71-61.  

The opening five points of the first quarter came from Colbi Zorich (Kenmore, WA) and Aliyah Anderson (Oceanside, CA)) as the Bulldogs held an early 5-2 lead.

Anderson would then make a jumper in the paint off a fastbreak as she made it 10-3.

The Tigers, though, would get within one, 14-13, with 2:27 left in the quarter as they held the Bulldogs to only four points in three minutes. Redlands would respond with Anderson and Leaya Mckinney (Sedalia, CO) baskets as they took an 18-13 lead into the second period.  

It took nearly three minutes for the Bulldogs to score in the second as Zorich and Avery Shiring (Yorba Linda, CA) would make it a 10-point game as they led a 7-0 run down to the 3:21 mark.

A late Tiger three, however, made it a two-possession game through 20 minutes.

After only one combined made field goal in the first three minutes of the second quarter, the two sides combined to make five in the first 1:45 of the third as Occidental had come all the way back from a 10-point deficit in less than five minutes to lead by two, 36-34.

Anderson would come to the rescue, though, as she scored seven-straight and led a personal 7-2 surge to help the Bulldogs reclaim the lead, 41-38.

AJ Wick (Henderson, NV) and Kayden Sanders (Nipomo, CA) would combine to make three free throws as the three-point advantage was maintained with 3:01 left in the quarter.

The lead stayed in Redlands' hands until the Tigers tied the game at 47 with just over a minute left. They would end the third with the final six points as they led at the end of the quarter, 50-47, for the first time.

Across the final 10 minutes it would be all Occidental as Redlands was never able to retake the lead or tie the game as they dropped their Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) contest.

Zorich had a double-double with a game-high 18 points (7-15 FG) and 10 rebounds. Wick added another double-double to her freshman season with 13 points (4-14 FG, 5-6 FT) and 13 rebounds. Anderson had 17 points (6-17 FG, 4-6 FT), five rebounds, and four assists.

The Bulldogs will play a non-traditional game this Monday, January 15 at 7:00 p.m. inside Currier Gym as they host Chapman University.