REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Basketball team (12-9, 4-8 SCIAC) fell 69-65 to No. 24 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) Wednesday evening inside Currier Gym.
Kendrick Currey (Manteca, CA) got off to a great start as he picked up a steal in the first eight seconds and turned that into a fastbreak dunk giving UR some early momentum.
The Stags would come back and score 13 of the next 15 points as they led by nine, 13-4, at the 16:41 mark. The Bulldogs, however, over the next three minutes responded with a run of their own as they went from down nine to up one, 16-15.
During the run Cameron Brown (Bakersfield, CA) made both of his free throws, Currey knocked down a three, Robert Power (Pacific Palisades, CA) grabbed a defensive rebound and took it the other way for a fastbreak layup before converting on a three, and Khyree Armstead (Mountlake Terrace, WA) got into the paint before finishing off a Lucas Gordon (San Marcos, CA) assist.
The next four minutes would see the offense stall for the Maroon and Grey and the Stags took advantage scoring 13 unanswered points giving them their largest lead at 12, 28-16.
Down to the 1:31 mark of the first half Power made a free throw that made it a one-possession game, 37-34.
The back-and-forth continued over the final minute and a half as CMS ended with eight straight, which ended with a half court made three at the buzzer as Redlands trailed by 11, 45-34, at the half.
Both teams played the first couple of minutes in the second half like it was the last two as they combined for one turnover, one foul, and an 0-6 mark from the field. Currey, though, hit his jumper off a Jhace Boston (Bakersfield, CA) assist as it brought the Bulldogs within single digits.
Brown and Boston then each scored in the paint as it was a two possession game, 45-40, with 17:03 on the clock.
Five minutes later the Bulldogs faced their largest deficit of the whole game, down by 15, 56-41. Over the next seven minutes the Bulldogs again rallied pulling within one, 58-57, after a 16-2 run that was capped off by an Armstead assisted, Power three with 4:58 left in the game.
Redlands came within one two more times, the last coming with under a minute to play. But CMS was able to convert three of their four free throws and made a timely jumper in the paint that sealed the win.
Power again led the Bulldogs in scoring with 14 points (4-11 FG, 2-5 3FG, 4-7 FT), while adding five rebounds and two assists. Armstead, Neil Owens (Pasadena, CA), and Currey all reached double figures as well with 13, 12, and 11 points respectively.
The Bulldogs will now look to their match-up with the University of La Verne this Saturday evening at 5:00 p.m. as they will honor their seniors prior to the game.
