LA VERNE, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Basketball team (11-6, 3-5 SCIAC) lost 76-75 on a last second shot to the University of La Verne in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) action Saturday afternoon as they completed the first half of their conference schedule.
Sam Abere (Lake Oswego, OR), Khyree Armstead (Mountlake Terrace, WA), and Kendrick Currey (Manteca, CA) combined for a 5-0 start for the Bulldogs. They would extend the lead to eight, 11-3, with 16:34 on the clock when Armstead drew a foul after Currey picked up a steal.
The eight-point lead was held onto for three more minutes before the Leopards started an 8-0 run that tied the game at 19-19. The Bulldogs, though, had a great response as Neil Owens (Pasadena, CA) knocked down a jumper, followed by Jhace Boston (Bakersfield, CA) getting to the line, Malachi Miller (Modesto, CA) grabbing a defensive rebound and getting out in transition for a layup, and Cameron Joseph (Fairfield, CA) being perfect at the line as UR led 26-19 with 8:59 left in the half.
Redlands held their largest lead of the opening period at nine, 35-26, with 5:34 left, but La Verne would only allow four points the remainder of the half as they would score 13 points as the two sides went into the break tied at 39-39.
After allowing the opening field goal to the Leopards, Boston tied the game quickly ahead of Currey and Armstead finishing to make it 47-43 with 16:06 on the clock.
Following Redlands retaking the lead, the Leopards would score 12 of the next 15 points as they held their largest lead of the game at five, 55-50. The lead would grow to seven with 8:22 left in the second half.
The Bulldogs, however, did not waiver as they were able to come back to tie the game at 63-63 with under five minutes to play. Currey then drew a foul and got to the line where he made both making it a two-point game, 65-63, with only 3:42 left.
With a minute and a half left, the game looked to be in a good spot as Currey had just converted on another two free throws to make it 73-69. But the Leopards would turn that around and score the final four points over the final :28 seconds, which included the game-winning jumper with less than a second on the clock.
After making 27 threes on Wednesday night the Bulldogs made a season-low two and shot 12.5 percent from deep. Armstead finished with 19 points (7-10 FG, 1-2 3FG, 4-4 FT) and Currey had 16 points (4-13 FG, 8-10 FT) as the only two players in double figures.
Redlands will get a week off before hosting Whittier College next Saturday, January 27 inside Currier Gym beginning at 5:00 p.m.
