The University of Redlands women's basketball team defeated Chapman University for the first time since January 12, 2010, winning on Thursday night by a final score of 74-71. In a back-and-forth contest in Currier Gym, the Bulldogs remained undefeated in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) action during the 2013 campaign while getting big contributions from numerous players.
On a night which the Maroon and Gray snapped a seven-game skid against the Panthers, neither side started the game clicking offensively. With 14:48 remaining in the first stanza, the Bulldogs trailed by four points, but Redlands junior guard Kaity Lykins (Simi Valley, CA) nailed a jumper to cut the deficit to two.
Both sides traded a few buckets over the next several possessions, and with 7:25 left on the clock before halftime, the game was tied at 15-15. The U of R then closed the half on a 24-17 run, highlighted by sophomore forwardBrinsley Farry's (Ventura, CA) long-range effort and a mid-range jumper from senior guard Marika Staton (El Centro, CA).
At the half, Redlands led 39-32 and shot very well from the free-throw line, making 12-of-15 charity-stripe shots, while the Panthers also got to the line consistently, making 13-of-18. In addition, the Bulldogs shot 48.0% from the field while holding the Panthers to just a 33.3% effort overall.
Not backing down without a fight, Chapman began the second half quickly and after just five minutes of play, tied the score at 45-45. The Panthers took a three-point lead a couple of minutes later, but U of R senior forwardMadison Sanders-Curry (San Jose, CA) banked in a jumper to cut the deficit to just one. Then, after senior guard Colleen Goeser (San Carlos, CA) sank a pair of free throws and senior forward Brittany Oster (Agoura Hills, CA) converted a layup opportunity, the Bulldogs were back up by three.
The two sides each continued to make shots on both ends, trading bucket for bucket, and with just over five minutes remaining in regulation, the score was all tied up at 60-60.
The Maroon and Gray then made seven free throws while giving up only five points, maintaining a two-point advantage with two minutes left on the clock. After Chapman (2-2, 0-1 SCIAC) converted one shot from the charity stripe, Farry made a crucial shot for the Bulldogs to put the home side up by three points with just 1:12 remaining in regulation.
On the next possession down the floor, Lykins came up with the big play defensively for the U of R, blocking a shot from Chapman's Kimi Takaoka. Lykins then secured the rebound, and on the next offensive possession for the Bulldogs, Staton put Redlands up by five points with a nifty move down low to beat two Panther defenders and score the layup with 36 seconds left.
While the Panthers made a couple of late shots, the U of R converted its free throws down the stretch en route to securing the triumph.
After the big win, Oster talked about Redlands' composure and how the Bulldogs were able to secure the important triumph.
Oster led the way for Redlands on the night, racking up a team-best 17 points to go along with seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. In addition, Goeser added 16 points for the Bulldogs, converting 11-of-12 shots from the line on the evening. Moreover, Sanders-Curry chipped in with six points and a team-high nine rebounds in the triumph.
As a team, the Bulldogs shot 43.4% from the field and 75.8% from the charity stripe. Defensively, the Bulldogs held the Chapman offense to just a 39.6% shooting effort overall, while forcing the Panthers into 18 turnovers.
For Chapman, Andrea Villanueva tallied 30 points, while Kimi Takaoka notched 20 points.
Redlands (4-2, 2-0 SCIAC) returns to the court on Saturday night when it hosts Whittier College. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. in Currier Gym, and the first 45 U of R students to arrive for the women's contest will receive Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Foam Fingers. If you cannot make it to Saturday night's contest, be sure to follow the action via live stats or the live-video stream.