LONGVIEW, Texas – The University of Redlands Men's Basketball team returned to action Tuesday night following a short hiatus due to finals. Despite the break the Bulldogs returned to form opening up their trip to Texas with a 79-68 win over LeTourneau University.
Redlands has now won six in a row improving to 6-1, 1-0 SCIAC on the season. Neil Owens (Pasadena, CA) led the Maroon and Grey pouring in 20 points, while knocking down five three-pointers, which tied his career high.
The Bulldogs recorded just two points in the first two minutes, but found their rhythm thanks to Owens and Nathaniel Johnson (Seattle, WA) who each scored to give the Bulldogs their first lead 7-4.
Chozen Amadi (Dallas, TX) sparked a run for UR with a three off an Owens assist as the Bulldogs outscored the Yellow Jackets 20-5, which carried down to the 10:50 mark of the half. During the run seven different Bulldogs scored and Owens led the way with seven points.
Redlands held their largest lead of the half at 24 points, 43-19, with 1:19 left after Cal Hansen (Burien, WA) made a layup off a Robert Power (Pacific Palisades, CA) assist. After a three from the Yellow Jackets, Power hit a jumper as time expired to give the U of R the 45-22 halftime advantage.
LeTourneau converted on the first basket of the second half before Amadi made a pair of layups to extend the lead to 25, 49-24. LETU responded with their first extended positive run that got them within 17, 52-35, with 14:50 to play.
A few minutes later with the lead at 16, Owens continued his big night by knocking down a triple followed by Colin McCarthy (Redwood City, CA) who got into the action with a jumper to make it 62-41.
After some back-and-forth, LeTourneau got within single digits for the first time since the Bulldogs took their first double-digit lead at the 11:46 mark of the first half, as Redlands only led by nine, 65-56, with 5:31 remaining.
But over the course of three minutes the Bulldogs would put the game away scoring ten of the next twelve points, which included four more points coming from Owens and two points apiece from Johnson, McCarthy, and Khyree Armstead (Mountlake Terrace, WA).
Owens and Johnson were the only two players in double figures with 20 and 10 points respectively. Armstead had an all-around game with eight points, six steals, five rebounds, two assists, and a block. First-year Cameron Brown (Bakersfield, CA) posted a career-high nine points and four steals along with four rebounds and an assist.
Redlands' defense was spectacular, holding the YellowJackets to 40% shooting from the field and 21.1% from three on 19 attempts. They also held a double-digit rebounding (44-34) advantage thanks to ten additional offensive rebounds (19-9). The Bulldogs controlled the game from start to finish as they led for 37:41 of the 40 minutes.
The Bulldogs stay in Texas for their second road game on Thursday, December 15 at 5:00 p.m. PST as they travel closer to the Louisiana border for a game at East Texas Baptist University.