FEDERICK, Md. – The University of Redlands men's basketball team (24-5) lost at host and No. 17 Hood College 114-104 Saturday afternoon as their NCAA Tournament run ends in the second round.
The Bulldogs first points came from Omari Ferguson who made a three. Chozen Amadi then found Lucas Gordon for their second three and a 6-2 lead.
Hood, though, responded quickly with a layup and three that put them in front by one. Still trailing by one, Redlands came down and Jhace Boston was able to get into the paint and gave Redlands the 11-10 lead with 16:51 on the clock in the first half.
Three minutes later the Blazers were back in front, this time by six, 17-11, at the 14:17 mark. An 11-4 Bulldog run, though, pushed them ahead by one, 22-21, only three minutes later.
During the run Donovan Ware made a three off a Derek Sangster assist, Cam Brown got out for a fastbreak dunk, Sangster hit a deep ball, and Ferguson converted on a three-point play.
With 8:20 on the clock the Bulldogs remained in the lead by one, 33-32, but the Blazers took the lead back with 7:34 to play. They held the lead the rest of the half. That lead was as high as eight before Redlands finished on a 7-2 run with Boston leading the charge with five points.
Following the strong finish to the first half, the Bulldogs conceded an 18-7 run over the first five plus minutes of the second half as they faced their largest deficit of 14, 74-60.
The double-digit lead was maintained, but at the 8:45 mark Gordon found Ferguson in the paint to cut the deficit to eight, 85-77. That layup was two of 28 points over nine minutes in which the Bulldogs outscore the Blazers by 13, 28-15.
Despite the valiant effort by the maroon and grey, they saw Hood respond and take a 10-point lead only 120 seconds later as they sealed the win.
Ferguson had a season-high 26 points and added three assists and three rebounds along with a pair of steals. His two steals brings him to 72 on the season, the 10th-most in program history.
Gordon had 18 points and 15 rebounds but fouled out in 20 minutes. He ends his career as the second all-time leading rebounder and one of only three Bulldogs to eclipse the 700-rebound mark. His 104 career blocks keep him seventh all-time.
Hlywiak had 15 points thanks to another five made threes. He finishes with 85 this season, the eighth-most in program history.
Boston also fouled out in 25 minutes. He had 14 points, eight rebounds, and six assists along with three blocks and three steals. His blocks push him into a tie for eighth with Michael Pappert (1979) with 45 this season. He will go to his senior season within 30 blocks of second place Pappert who had 127 (1978-79).
Head coach Eric Bridgeland will head to his seventh season five wins away from 100 with the Bulldogs.
