The University of Redlands women's basketball team celebrated its seniors by clinching a spot in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Postseason Tournament with a solid 82-71 victory over the visiting Regals of Cal Lutheran University on Thursday in Currier Gym. The Bulldog win also halted the opponents' winning streak at six, which dated back to the first time Redlands defeated them on Jan. 18.
After honoring the diverse yet influential careers of seniors Madison Sanders-Curry (San Jose, CA), Colleen Goeser (San Carlos, CA) andBrittany Oster (Agoura Hills, CA), the Bulldogs continued the celebration on the court with a solid showing.
Despite a one-point deficit with 12:57 remaining in the first period, the Maroon and Gray roared back with a 5-0 run to take a 16-12 advantage. Goeser found junior guard Kameran Dage (Walnut Creek, CA), who knocked down the first of her three shots from long range, before Oster connected with junior guard Kaity Lykins (Simi Valley, CA) for an open look on the team's subsequent possession.
Moments later, another five-point spurt by the Bulldogs extended their lead to eight with 9:27 left on the clock. Goeser and Oster got in on the scoring this time, with Goeser hitting a shot from beyond the arc.
Following a brief scoring drought by the Maroon and Gray, the team responded with a 15-7 run to close out the stanza with a 39-26 lead. Dage led the effort with nine of her 16 points coming in the final five minutes of the half, while Oster accounted for Redlands' other six points.
The Bulldogs' solid shooting continued in the early part of the second frame, as they built their largest lead of the night at 51-31 with 14:27 left on clock. Lykins capped off the scoring spree, but Oster spearheaded the offensive outburst with eight points, including two buckets from second efforts below the basket.
Although the Regals cut the deficit to 11 points, the Bulldogs maintained control of the triumph with successful free-throw shooting and excellent ball-handling down the stretch.
Oster finished the night with her 26th career double-double, with this one coming on 30 points and 16 rebounds. She also dished out three assists and nabbed three steals.
Goeser also boasted a double-double but hers comprised 22 points and 10 assists. She also pulled in five rebounds for the Maroon and Gray.
Finally, Sanders-Curry provided a solid effort with six rebounds, four points, and two blocks.
After the game, the seniors spoke about the key to prevailing over the Regals, who entered the contest on a hot streak, as well as the significance of winning during Senior Night.
Overall, the Bulldogs shot slightly better than the opponents but the biggest difference came on the rebounds, with Redlands earning a 43-31 advantage, including a 15-9 edge on the offensive boards.
In addition, the Maroon and Gray was nearly flawless at the free-throw line, converting 92% of its chances, compared to CLU's 74.1% showing.
With tonight's victory, the Bulldogs remain in third place in the SCIAC standings but sit just a half-game back of the leaders from Chapman University and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges.
Redlands (18-5, 11-3 SCIAC) heads to Caltech on Saturday for a 7 p.m. tip-off with the Beavers.