Overtime Win for Tigers

REDLANDS, Calif. (Feb. 13, 2008) – A Redlands three-pointer at the buzzer sent Wednesday’s Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest between Occidental College and the University of Redlands into overtime, in which the Tigers prevailed, pulling out an 83-80 victory on the road to remain alone atop the SCIAC standings.

Occidental took an 18 point lead in the first half, taking a 40-35 half-time lead, but the Bulldogs battled their way back into the game on more than one occasion.

At the 14 minute mark in the second half Oxy opened a 10-point lead, but UR quickly erased the deficit, turning it into a 57-56 lead six minutes later. The teams were never separated by more than six points for the remainder of regulation, which ended with Dan Selway sinking a three-pointer for the Bulldogs seconds before the buzzer sounded, sending the game into overtime with the score knotted at 72 all.

Oxy’s senior guard Connor Whitman stepped up big, scoring the first six Tiger overtime points as Oxy poured in 11, holding the Bulldogs to eight, never relinquishing the OT lead.

Whitman silenced the boisterous Redlands’ crowd by burying a 30 foot three-pointer following it with three consecutive free throws the next possession after he was fouled on another deep three point attempt.

Huston Conti and UR’s Matt Loretz tied for a game high 22 points. Conti was solid at the line for Oxy with a 10-for-10 performance, while going 5-for-10 from the field including two three pointers. Six-foot-five inch Loretz put on a show, making 9-of-11 field goals with an incredible seven dunks in the game (four in the first half alone), while grabbing 13 rebounds.

Sophomore transfer Sean Anderson recorded a 15 point, 15 rebound double-double off the Tigers bench tonight. Gyan Alexander also reached double figures, scoring 11.

Overall, Oxy struggled from the free throw line (19-28) and turned the ball over 15 times, but their composure on the court and confidence in their ability carried them through.

Whitman and Conti both played the full 45 minutes. 

Defensively Conti, Alexander and Whitman continued to play outstanding on the perimeter, holding the Bulldogs top scorers to 7-for-25 field goal shooting.

The Tigers, who were ranked # 1 in the West Region earlier in the week, improve to 19-2 overall with a 9-1 SCIAC mark to remain alone atop the standings. Redlands falls to 10-11, 5-5. Occidental also climbed to # 18 on the D3Hoops.com poll.

The Tigers will return home on Saturday to play the Sagehens who completed a season sweep of rival Claremont-Mudd-Scripps with a 10-point win on Wednesday. PP is led by 6-foot-8 Player of the Year Candidate Justin Sexton and 6-foot-4 All-SCIAC forward Jabarri Reynolds who combined for 39 points in the Tigers narrow  64-59 win at Pomona-Pitzer earlier this season.

The men will tip off at 7:30 p.m. following a 5:00 p.m. start by the women’s squad against PP at Rush Gymnasium.