LA VERNE, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Basketball team handled their business on the road Saturday afternoon cruising past the University of La Verne 89-76 on the road as they improve to 8-3, 2-0 SCIAC.
The Bulldogs continued with their strong offensive form in the win shooting 47.7% from the field and 35% from three-point territory. They had four players reach double figures and ten who recorded at least a point. Khyree Armstead (Mountlake Terrace, WA) led the Maroon and Grey with a game high 25 points on 10-of-19 shooting, which included three triples along with seven rebounds, two assists, four steals and three blocks. Most notably for Armstead was his three turnovers, his third consecutive game with three or fewer turnovers after a stretch of four-straight games with five or more. Chozen Amadi (Dallas, TX) added 14 points, six of which came from the free-throw line, Khair Jackson (Canoga Park, CA) came off the bench playing 21 minutes with another 11 points and Nathaniel Johnson (Seattle, WA) posted a double double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
It was a competitive opening eight minutes with three ties before Armstead made a free throw to give the Bulldogs their largest lead of the half, 17-14. A Colin McCarthy (Redwood City, CA) layup at the 10:10 mark made it a five-point game, 21-16.
Following the McCarthy basket the Leopards would find the bottom of the net to make it a one score game, but immediately after Redlands would go on a 14-2 run sparked by a trio of layups from Robert Power (Pacific Palisades, CA), McCarthy, and Cal Hansen (Burien, WA) increasing their lead to fifteen, 35-20, with 5:47 to play in the half. During the push Ben Peterson (El Segundo, CA) knocked down a deep three and again Hansen and McCarthy would connect inside.
With 4:40 to play in the half Armstead hammered home a three off a Power assist that stretched the run to 22-3, as the U of R led by their largest margin of the half, 22, 43-21.
La Verne was able to rally late putting together their own run scoring 19 of the next 26 points that brought them into the half only down ten. Armstead had 38% of Redlands' points with 19 as it was 50-40 Bulldogs following the first twenty minutes.
Out of the break UR continued to cause havoc on the defensive end holding the Leopards scoreless over the first two minutes, while adding five unanswered to extend their lead to 15 following a pair of Johnson free throws and an Amadi triple.
Armstead and Amadi combined again at the 16:19 mark to extend the advantage each knocking down jump shots and Amadi adding another three, as the lead sat at 18, 60-42.
With 14:02 on the clock the Bulldogs regained their 20-point margin for the first time since it was 48-27 with 2:42 to play in the first half as Amadi continued his strong half with a pair of made free throws.
The Leopards continued to fight, getting within 13, 68-55, at the 10:55 mark. ULV would again pull within 13 with 8:17 left, but that's as close as they would get as Redlands would respond with eight straight pushing the lead back to twenty-one, 80-59.
Just over a minute later after falling behind by over twenty points again the Leopards would close to within 13 with under five minutes to play. But this margin would be enough for UR as they would hold on for the win on New Years Eve.
The Bulldogs controlled the glass hauling in 42 rebounds, added 44 points in the paint, 14 second chance points and turning 22 ULV turnovers into 29 points.
Redlands remains in conference play with a home game inside Currier Gym on Wednesday, January 4 at 7:00 p.m. against Caltech.
