REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Women's Basketball team (10-2, 3-1 SCIAC) fell to California Lutheran University (CLU) 87-78 Saturday afternoon inside Currier Gym unable to keep up with the Regals in the fourth quarter.
Following a back-and-forth start that saw both sides hold leads, the Bulldogs led 8-7 after a Colbi Zorich (Woodinville, WA) jumper. It was the Regals though that went on a run, scoring 10 of the next 11 points to take a seven-point lead, 17-10, with 2:15 to play in the opening quarter.
Aliyah Anderson (Oceanside, CA) and Carly Hicks (Portland, OR) would go on to score eight of the Bulldogs' next 12 points in route to a 22-19 lead after 10 minutes as a late Teagan McIlroy (Phoenix, AZ) steal and layup capped off a 12-2 run.
After a great finish to the first, Olivia McIntyre (Spokane, WA) and Anderson combined for six points to extend the U of R lead to seven, 28-21, just over two minutes into the second.
In a flip from the first quarter where it was CLU who started quickly and Redlands who responded, it was the Regals who finished the half off on an 18-4 run taking a 39-32 lead into the intermission.
Five quick Regal points in the first :25 seconds of the third put the Bulldogs behind by their largest margin of 12. Andrea Perkins (Seal Beach, CA) and McIlroy, however, made three-pointers with a pair of jumpers by Leila Hosn (Seattle, WA) cutting the deficit to four, 46-42, just two minutes after trailing by 12.
CLU had a strong response to Redlands, extending their lead back to double figures, 55-44, but the Bulldogs were able to score 13 of the final 20 points and were within two possessions, 62-57, after 30 minutes of play.
The fourth quarter was physical and back and forth. CLU led by seven to begin the quarter before Hosn converted on a three-point play followed by Kayden Sanders (Nipomo, CA) knocking down a three-pointer during a 7-0 run that tied the game at the 7:40 mark.
The lead was traded between a two-point Regal lead to a one-point Bulldog advantage with 5:49 on the clock thanks to a Hicks triple from the right wing.
Seconds later on the other end of the floor CLU got to the line and made both, which began a stretch where they were plus five and leading by four, 76-72, with 3:38 to go.
Hosn got herself to the line twice soon after, making all four, as she cut the deficit to two with 3:20 still to play. The Regals, though, scored 11 of the next 13 points and went in front by 11 as they secured the road win.
Playing without AJ Wick (Henderson, NV) once again, it was McIntyre who led the way with 17 points and eight rebounds as she made her first career start. Hosn had 15, five, and five. McIlroy was the other Bulldog in double figures with 14 thanks to a 7-of-8 mark at the line.
Notably the two teams combined to make 49-of-56 free throws, an 87.5 percent mark. Additionally, the Bulldogs won the opening quarter of each half by a total of five points, while the Regals were successful in the ending quarters, winning them by a total of 14. Redlands shot 50% from behind the arc, 35.9% from the field and 84% from the free-throw line.
Redlands heads on the road for a game against the University of La Verne this Wednesday, January 14 at 7:00 p.m.
