REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Basketball team (12-6, 4-5 SCIAC) took advantage of their week off as they got back into the win column with a 98-84 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) win over Whittier College Saturday night inside Currier Gym.

The Bulldogs improve to 12-6, 4-5 SCIAC, staying in sixth place within the conference standings, while Whittier drops to 5-14, 2-8 SCIAC.  

Khyree Armstead (Mountlake Terrace, WA) and Neil Owens (Pasadena, CA) scored the first four points as the U of R held an early lead.  

Redlands would trail by as many as four with 16:30 on the clock before Armstead hit a free throw followed by a Josh Himel (Jacksonville, FL) three off a Sam Abere (Lake Oswego, OR) assist as Redlands regained the lead, 11-10.

The lead would grow to eight, 24-16, with 11:25 on the clock as the Bulldogs scored eleven unanswered thanks to baskets from Kendrick Currey (Manteca, CA), Owens, Jhace Boston (Bakersfield, CA), and Armstead.

The lead grew to as many as 17, 45-28, after a Robert Power (Pacific Palisades, CA) three-pointer, but the Poets ended the final four minutes on a 15-6 run as it was a 51-43 Bulldog halftime lead.

Owens put the Bulldogs back up double digits, 55-45 to begin the second half. Then with less than eight minutes to play Lucas Gordon (San Marcos, CA) scored in the paint off a jumper as the Bulldogs took their largest lead of the game, 83-64.

Redlands would maintain this double-digit lead the rest of the way as they earned the bounce back win.

Owens finished with a season-high 26 points (10-16 FG, 5-9 3FG) and Armstead added 16 points (6-10 FG) along with 12 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Currey nearly got a triple-double as he had 12 points, eight assists, and six rebounds.

Redlands will go on the road for a three game stretch against opponents who are ranked or receiving votes beginning with a trip to Pomona-Pitzer on Wednesday, January 31 at 7:00 p.m.