Tigers Earn Chance to Host SCIAC Championship Game with 79-51 Win
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Feb. 26, 2009) – The Tigers took one step closer to punching a playoff ticket tonight. The semi-final game of the 2009 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Post Season Tournament saw the Occidental College Tigers pitted against the Whittier College Poets. Occidental used a 17 points halftime lead to cruise to a 79-51 victory at Rush Gymnasium tonight.
Gillian Nugent exploded for 19 points and hit four consecutive three-pointers after Whittier got within 16 points to build a significant lead in the second half as Occidental earned their 21st victory of the season.
Whittier (16-10, 8-6 SCIAC) struck first, but Oxy then used a 16-0 run to take a commanding lead. The Tigers led by 14 point with 9:41 to go in the opening stanza before the Poets chipped their way back into the game. The purple and gold pulled within eight points thanks to three jumpers and two free throws from sophomore Kourtney Zilbert, who earned SCIAC Athlete of the Week honors for her performance last week.
The Tigers then looked to junior Dior Williams, who hit a three-pointer to spark an 8-2 run to close out the opening half as Oxy took a 36-19 advantage into the locker room.
In the second half it was more of the same for Oxy, who led by at least 16 for the entire 20 minutes, pushing the lead to as much as 31 points.
In the first half alone, Occidental scored 22 points in the paint and took advantage of 20 Poets’ turnovers, which led to 16 points for the black and orange. Whittier took care of the ball in the second half, committing just four turnovers. Oxy finished with 34 points in the paint on the night.
Overall the Tigers shot 46.7% from the field and held the Poets to a field goal percentage of 39. Three other players reached double figures joining Nugent including Brianne Brown (15), Stephanie Babij (14) and Williams (10). Madeline Rose had a game high seven assists and Britinee Yasukochi chipped in with four. Williams added to her conference lead in steals with four on the night.
Occidental grabbed 33 rebounds to Whittier’s 31, but pulled down 11 offensive boards, which led to 12 points. Brown and Williams had five rebounds apiece while Rose finished with four.
Zilbert fouled out with 2:42 to play in regulation after posting a team high in both points (17) and rebounds (12), recording the only double-double of the game. Ashley Vierra finished with 12 points.
In other SCIAC action tonight the #3 University of La Verne (19-6, 10-4) hung on to upset the #2 University of Redlands (19-7, 11-3) 50-48 at Currier Gymnasium, the Bulldogs’ home court.
Oxy split with ULV this season, dropping a heart breaking 65-60 loss at the hands of the Leopards on Jan. 29, but avenging the loss at home last Saturday with a season finale 57-54 victory to claim their second SCIAC title in as many years.
On Saturday evening, Feb. 28 the Tigers and Leopards will meet in the 2009 SCIAC Postseason Tournament Championship game, which will take place on Oxy’s home court at 5:00 p.m.
The team that wins the SCIAC Postseason Tournament earns the conference’s automatic bid into the 2009 NCAA Division III Post Season.
Tickets for the event are $5 for adults, $2
for children 12 and under and senior citizens 55 and older and free
to Occidental and La Verne faculty, staff and students with current
ID cards. The Ticket booth will open one hour prior to tip-off.
