REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Basketball team erupted for triple digits Wednesday night dismissing Caltech inside Currier Gym 101-57.
The Bulldogs have now hit 100 points in three games this season, improve to 9-3, 3-0 SCIAC, have won three straight and now sit atop the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) standings.
Thirteen players saw action on the evening with twelve of them earning at least one point and five finishing in double figures. Junior Josh Himel (Jacksonville, FL) led all scorers on the night with a career high 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting, which included five triples along with three take-a-ways. First-Year Cameron Brown (Bakersfield, CA) had a career high as well playing 22 minutes and posting 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting to go with five rebounds and three steals. Sophomore Gunner Wooden (Canton, MI) was also stellar on the perimeter adding 13 points, three triples, six boards and two assists. Lucas Gordon (San Marcos, CA) posted 10 points and six boards in 11 eleven minutes and Nathaniel Johnson (Seattle, WA) would go on to chip in with 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting, eight rebounds, two assists, five steals and two blocks.
It was all Bulldogs from the opening tip jumping out in front 10-0 with Sam Abere (Lake Oswego, OR) connecting from deep, Khyree Armstead (Mountlake Terrace, WA) adding two lay-ins and Johnson with a tip-in. After a CIT basket Cal Hansen (Burien, WA), Khair Jackson (Canoga Park, CA) and Brown went back-to-back-to-back to move the score to 16-2 and UR didn't look back putting up another 46 points across the final 15 minutes of the half to lead 62-23. Across the first twenty minutes Redlands shot 55.6% from the field and 47.6% from behind the arc.
Caltech was able to find the offense in the second half scoring 34 points, ten of which came from Chase Pagon. But the Beavers still were unable to slow down the Bulldog offense that added another 39 points, while grabbing a 46-point lead late.
In just 17 minutes Armstead had eight points with four assists and another five steals and Chozen Amadi (Dallas, TX) in 13 minutes put up six points with three rebounds and three assists.
The U of R shot a blistering 45.1% from the field, 32.6% from three-point territory and 41.7% from the free-throw line. They won the battle on the glass 47-41, forced 29 CIT turnovers and added 44 points off of them, put up 21 second chance points, 42 points in the paint and received 74 points from the bench.
Redlands has two days to prepare for a showdown on the road with Pomona-Pitzer this Saturday, January 7 at 4:00pm. Both teams are undefeated within conference play.