CLAREMONT, Calif. – The University of Redlands men's basketball team (12-7, 4-6) were unable to complete an 18-point comeback at Pomona-Pitzer in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) action Wednesday evening as they lost 93-84.

The Bulldogs were up four in the first four minutes as they led 10-6 after Lucas Gordon made a pair of free throws and dunked on a fastbreak before Khyree Armstead and Jhace Boston each hit threes off Kendrick Currey and Neil Owens assists.

Over the next 14 minutes, however, the Sagehens would go on a 40-18 run as they led by 18 with 2:08 left in the opening half. Armstead would help Redlands respond as he made a jumper in the paint and sparked a 7-2 run as their deficit was a more manageable 13, 48-35, at the half.

In less than three minutes to begin the second half the run had reached 20-6 as they were within three, 51-48.

After some back-and-forth, Robert Power got out on a fast break after Armstead grabbed a defensive rebound and then Cameron Brown also scored in transition and forced a Pomona-Pitzer timeout as the deficit was two, 57-55, with 13:37 still to play.

That two-point deficit, though, was the only time they were within a single possession as the Sagehens would squeeze out the nine-point win.

Owens led the Bulldogs with 15 points while Currey, Brown and Power all had 13 points. The offense was not horrible, shooting 42.5 percent from field and 37.5 percent from three, but their defense allowed 61 percent shooting overall and 44.4 percent from three.

The road does not get easier as they play at first place and No. 13 California Lutheran University this Saturday at 2:00 p.m. as the Bulldogs will look to stay alive for a top-four spot and the SCIAC Postseason Tournament.