CLAREMONT, Calif. – The University of Redlands women's basketball team (9-7, 4-3) scored 42 points in the first three quarters before breaking out for 32 in the fourth, but the 15-point Pomona-Pitzer lead was too much to overcome as they came up two points short, 76-74, Monday evening.
It was a rough start as Carly Hicks' basket was the only Bulldog points in the first five minutes and 23 seconds as they found themselves down nine, 11-2.
Colbi Zorich and AJ Wick, though, came alive with six combined points over the next 100 seconds as they drew within three, 11-8. A late 7-0 run with four points from Wick and a Leila Hosn assisted, Alex Facelo three turned a nine-point deficit into a one-point lead after 10 minutes.
Hosn started the second quarter strong with a pair of baskets to help the Bulldogs hold a lead through four minutes.
That lead, however, would be a 35-30 deficit at the half after the offense scored nine points and allowed 15 points over the final 5:22.
It was a competitive back-and-forth third quarter that saw Redlands get within four in the first minute before falling behind by 10 twice and ultimately trailing by eight, 50-42, after two late Wick free throws.
The game appeared to get out of hand in the first three minutes of the fourth when the Sagehens scored 10 of the first 13 points and were up by their largest margin of 15 with only 7:31 to play.
101 seconds later the Bulldogs got a five points from Facelo and three points from Hosn to quickly close the gap to three possessions, 60-53, with 5:50 still to go.
The back-and-forth from the third popped back up as Pomona-Pitzer would score four points in 45 seconds to reclaim a double-digit lead before Hicks and Zorich combined to make it a six-point game 37 seconds later.
With the game in reach again the Bulldogs allowed a 6-0 run in less than 90 seconds to put themselves in a 10-point hole, this time only 1:15 remained.
Facelo, though, came right back down and hit a three and Wick scored four baskets in 19 seconds to make it a one-point game with 13 seconds on the clock.
Despite what would end up being a 3-for-10 mark at the charity stripe over the final 42 seconds for the Sagehens, they survived as Hosn's layup was blocked and her offensive rebound kickout to Hicks for the potential game-winning three as time expired was off the mark.
Redlands' offense was stymied for most of the game, shooting 35, 40, and 23 percent from the field in the opening three quarters before making 63 percent of their shots and five of their six threes over the final 10 minutes.
Wick ended her night with a career-high 28 points and added 12 rebounds for another double-double. Hosn had her first career double-double with 11 points and a career-high 13 rebounds along with five assists.
Redlands will need a bounce back win against rival Chapman University inside Currier Gym on Wednesday at 7 p.m. as they look to end their two-game losing streak.