The University of Redlands men's basketball team returned home to the friendly confines of Currier Gym on Wednesday night, as the Bulldogs registered an 82-69 victory over the Beavers of Caltech. After leading by as many as 22 points, the Maroon and Gray held off a late push by the visiting squad, and took care of business at the charity stripe to secure the much needed Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) triumph.
During the first half, Redlands opened the contest with a 13-8 lead after senior Alex Rudd (St. Louis, MO) knocked down a pair of shots from beyond the arc. In addition, senior guard Ricky Peetz (Redlands, CA) sank his first three-pointer of the night during this stretch.
Successful free-throws by freshman guard Sean Milligan (Portland, OR) and senior forward Eric Radford (Federal Way, WA) quickly made it an eight-point game at 18-10.
In addition to taking advantage of opportunities at the charity stripe, the Bulldogs gained key points from Rudd and sophomore forward Aljosa Bjekovic (Maribor, Slovenia), who each converted three-pointers late in the first frame. Redlands led by 22 points at 46-24 with 2:01 remaining in the opening half.
Equipped with a 48-29 halftime lead, the Bulldogs appeared to have the momentum by keeping their distance at a 10-point minimum through the first 10 minutes of the second stanza.
However, the Beavers kept chipping away at the deficit, thanks in part to the hot shooting hand of Bryan Joel. He made all five of his three-pointers in a nine-minute span, with the final one cutting Caltech's hole to only six points with 3:52 left on the clock.
Fouled on the ensuing possession, Radford knocked down both free-throws for the Bulldogs, before a key steal by Bjekovich led to a quick jumper to extend the Redlands lead back to double digits at 76-66.
After one more Beaver three-pointer, the Maroon and Gray secured the win at the charity stripe, making six of its final eight opportunities in the final 53 seconds.
Rudd finished with a game-high 22 points, which included four three-pointers. Bjekovic added 15 points and 12 boards for his fifth double-double of the season, while Peetz provided 14 points for his fifth consecutive game in double figures.
Joel led the Beavers (3-10, 0-4 SCIAC) with 19 points off the bench, including a 5-for-10 showing from downtown. In addition, Andrew Hogue stepped up with 16 points, eight rebounds, and three assists.
Overall, Caltech recorded a better shooting percentage at 42.4%, compared to Redlands' 36.8% effort. The Bulldogs hit eight shots from beyond the arc, while the Beavers converted nine. The difference-maker came at the free-throw line, with the Maroon and Gray hitting 80% of its 40 chances.
Redlands slightly edged the opponents in the rebounding battle, with a 42-40 margin.
Redlands (6-7, 2-2 SCIAC) welcomes the Leopards of the University of La Verne to Currier Gym on Saturday night for a SCIAC doubleheader with the women. The Bulldog men tip off at 5 p.m., followed by the women's game at approximately 7 p.m. Fans may also follow the action through live stats and streaming.
