The University of Redlands women's basketball team squared off against the Concordia College (MN) Cobbers in Saturday's contest of the 2017 Tip-Off Classic in Currier Gym. With neither squad shooting particularly well, the teams battled through four ties and 14 lead-changes in a relatively tight game that ultimately came down to free-throws. Unfortunately, this one favored the Cobbers, who handed the Bulldogs a tough 42-46 loss.
After the teams traded early baskets, the Maroon and Gray jumped out to a slight 11-6 lead by scoring seven-straight points. Senior guard Joy Adlao (Hacienda Heights, CA) hit a nothing-but-net triple off of an assist by sophomore guard Cassandra Lacey (Victorville, CA) before Adlao played ball-distributor for senior forward Reyna Ta'amu's (Lakewood, CA) first of two lay-ups in the scoring spurt.
However, the Cobbers chipped away at the deficit and made it a one-point game by the end of the first quarter.
Although not many shots were falling, the Bulldogs successfully knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to build a 17-14 lead by the midway point of the second quarter. First-year forward Camille Mosley (Riverside, CA) found an open Adlao before senior forward Angela Silver (Scotts Valley, CA) turned a key defensive rebound into an assist for senior guard Caitlyn Dixon's (Seattle, WA) trey ball.
The teams finished out the stanza exactly how they started it, with Redlands out in front by one point at 21-20.
The highlight of the third quarter came off the hands of senior forward Allison Siksnus (Placentia, CA), who pulled in a defensive rebound before receiving the outlet pass on the perimeter on the other end of the floor. She stepped back as the shot clock wound down and banked in a three-pointer to cut Redlands' deficit to one at 31-32. She went on to block the Cobbers' subsequent attempt, snagged the rebound, and raced down the court for a breakaway lay-up that put the Bulldogs up, 33-32, with 30 seconds to go in the third.
However, Concordia answered right back with a three-pointer in the final possession to head into the final frame with a two-point lead.
Mosley stepped up with two critical buckets in the fourth quarter, to go along with her solid defensive effort inside the paint. In addition, Lacey and first-year guard Alyssa Lee (Monterey Park, CA) each provided well-timed blocks to stifle the Cobbers' offense late in the game.
But Concordia took care of business at the charity stripe to stay in front before Jamie Mentzer hit a head-on trey-ball to make it a two-possession game with just over a minute to play.
Despite multiple late opportunities to score, the Bulldogs struggled to convert and ultimately fell by four points.
Ta'amu led the Maroon and Gray with 13 points on 50% shooting. Siksnus hauled in 12 rebounds, while Adlao dished out four assists and scored eight points. Lacey registered four blocks, four points, and seven rebounds.
Concordia went to the line 12 times and converted 10 shots, while Redlands was 3-for-6 at the stripe.
The Bulldogs (2-1) head to Hope International University in Fullerton on Wednesday, November 29, for a 5:30 p.m. game against the Royals.
