WHITTIER, Calif. – The University of Redlands Women's Basketball team conceded a late fourth quarter lead at Whittier College Saturday evening in a 59-56 overtime loss to the Poets.
The Bulldogs drop to 5-7, 1-3 SCIAC, while Whittier continues to stay atop the conference standings at 10-2, 5-0 SCIAC.
Kayden Sanders (Nipomo, CA) and Colbi Zorich (Kenmore, WA) opened the game with the first five points as the Bulldogs got off to a strong start. AJ Wick (Henderson, NV) then converted on a three-point play after an offensive rebound to make it 8-2 with 5:28 on the clock.
That lead was turned into a one-point deficit with 3:24 to go in the first after the Poets rattled off seven straight. Wick would respond with a pair of jumpers with Carly Hicks (Portland, OR) picking up an assist as the two teams ended the quarter tied at 12-12.
Sanders started Redlands' scoring in the second with a three off an Aliyah Anderson (Oceanside, CA) assist that put UR back on top, 15-14.
With a Whittier basket with 8:06 on the clock the Purple & Gold would hold the lead or be tied until there was only :29 seconds remaining in the half when Anderson found Hicks for a triple that would put the Maroon and Grey up 28-27 at the break.
Redlands went back up by multiple possessions in the first two minutes of the second half as Anderson made two free throws following an offensive rebound and then Hicks scored after a Zorich steal to make it 32-27.
The rest of the third quarter the Bulldogs would hold a lead of seven on three occasions, which included an ending to the quarter when Wick found Zorich for a jumper moving the advantage to 43-36.
It was a back-and-forth start to the fourth and with 5:25 remaining Hicks made a three that made it a six-point game, 48-42. For the Bulldogs, though, they would only score two more points in regulation and turn the ball over on three straight possessions with 3:37 left leading 50-46, which led to four points for WC as they would add eight down the stretch which forced overtime tied at 50-50.
In the five-minute overtime period Whittier scored the first three points before Sanders made a pair of free throws followed by Zorich who also converted on her two giving UR a 54-53 lead with 2:10 to play. The Poets would only trail for :10 seconds before they would finish a jumper giving them a lead they would not relinquish handing the Bulldogs their first overtime loss of the season.
Zorich and Wick continued their dominance inside and on the glass as Zorich had 20 points and 11 rebounds and Wick had 12 points and 13 rebounds.
The Bulldogs will stay on the road as they travel to Claremont on Wednesday, January 10 with a match-up against Pomona-Pitzer beginning at 7:00 p.m.
