The University of Redlands women's basketball team used a strong second half to defeat UC Santa Cruz on Saturday evening, 54-46. The difference on the night for the Maroon and Gray was the strong defensive effort, particularly during the second stanza in which the Bulldogs held the Banana Slugs to just 19 points.
It was another slow start for the Maroon and Gray, but after junior forwardBrittany Oster (Agoura Hills, CA) and junior forward Madison Sanders-Curry (San Jose, CA) made back-to-back layups, the game was tied at 7-7 with 15:13 remaining in the first half.
UC Santa Cruz then used a 12-4 run over the next six minutes to regain control of the contest.
Not fazed, the Bulldogs responded immediately, scoring 10 straight points, highlighted by consecutive jumpers from junior guard Colleen Goeser (San Carlos, CA) to give Redlands its first lead of the night at 21-19.
During the final three minutes of the half, the Banana Slugs fought back and took a one-point lead into the break at 27-26. During the first half, UC Santa Cruz shot an impressive 52.2% from the field, while Redlands managed just a 34.6% shooting effort. The Bulldogs did get to the charity stripe on 10 occasions however, converting seven times.
Coming out of the locker room with newfound energy, the U of R ripped off a 16-6 run to begin the second stanza, taking full control of the contest. When junior guard Marika Staton (El Centro, CA) drained a shot from downtown with 8:42 left in regulation, the Bulldogs led 45-33, its largest lead of the game.
With 4:14 remaining on the clock, the Banana Slugs had cut the deficit to just seven, but Bulldog sophomore guard Claire Stach (Portland, OR) converted a key layup to extend Redlands' advantage back to nine points.
UC Santa Cruz scored five consecutive points during the next minute to make it a four-point game, but consecutive layups from Oster and Staton all but sealed the win for the Bulldogs, pushing the Maroon and Gray advantage back to eight points with just over one minute remaining.
Solid defense by the Bulldogs down the stretch and two made free throws by Staton secured the eight-point victory for Redlands. The win was critical at this point in the campaign, as the Bulldogs prepare for the homestretch of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) season.
While the Banana Slugs shot well during the first 20 minutes, the Redlands defense locked down during the second half, holding UC Santa Cruz to just a 26.9% shooting effort from the field during the final 20 minutes. Throughout the night, Redlands also did a fantastic job of defending the three-point shots, holding the Banana Slugs to just 3-of-13 from downtown.
For the U of R, winning the rebounding battle (41-33) was key, as it provided a number of second-chance opportunities for the Bulldogs. Leading the charge on the boards was Sanders-Curry with 12 rebounds on the evening. She also tallied three assists, three steals and a team-high four blocks to go along with nine points in just her second start of the season.
Staton finished with a team-best 20 points in addition to grabbing six boards, dishing out five assists and nabbing four steals. Also with another solid night, Oster provided seven points and five rebounds.
The Bulldogs (11-5) return to action on Thursday, Jan 24, when they take on the first-place team in the SCIAC, Cal Lutheran University. Tipoff in Currier Gym is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.