REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands women's basketball team (11-11, 7-7) held an lead in the second quarter against the University of La Verne Saturday night in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) action inside Currier Gym, but the Leopards pulled away for the 71-53 win.

Aliyah Anderson got things started with a three off an AJ Wick assist on the opening possession. Leaya Mckinney then scored in the paint off a Kayden Sanders assist, and with scores from Colbi Zorich and Wick the Bulldogs led by eight, 14-6, in the first five minutes.

Krista Karban would put an exclamation point on the first quarter as she made a jumper in the paint as time expired off an inbound pass from Zorich as they led 20-13.

As great as the first 10 minutes were, the next six were worse as they were held scoreless, and the Leopards scored 21 consecutive points and found themselves down 14 which they would be the halftime margin.

La Verne made a pair of free throws to extend the lead to 16 to begin the third before the Bulldogs were able to cut the lead to seven, 44-37, after a 13-4 run.

Two minutes later the lead was 13 for La Verne but the final six points of the quarter were scored by Redlands as Mckinney found Zorich for a jumper and Anderson for a three before she closed the third out with a free throw as a 16-point deficit was only seven, 50-43, with 10 minutes still to play.

Zorich started the fourth making one of two free throws, but over the final 8:45 the Leopards would hold a double-digit lead as the shorthanded Bulldogs dropped back to .500 in SCIAC play.

Mckinney missed a double-double by two points as she finished with eight points and career-high 12 rebounds in only her second career start and first in three months.

Redlands closes out their home schedule this Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. inside Currier as they host California Institute of Technology in a must win game to stay in contention for the SCIAC Postseason Tournament.