LA VERNE, Calif. – The University of Redlands Women's Basketball team (19-7, 12-4) beat the university of La Verne 70-69 Saturday night to win the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Tournament Championship. It was the third meeting between the two teams on the season and the first win for the Bulldogs against the Leopards as they held off a second half surge to earn the AQ into the NCAA Division III National Championships.
Redlands got off to a great start in the first 3:30, leading 11-3 thanks to five points from Alyssa Downs (South San Francisco, CA), four points for Chyanne Pagkalinawan (Valencia, CA), and two points from Hannah Jerrier (Canton, MA).
The Bulldogs would extend their lead to 11, 16-5, at the 3:14 mark after Colbi Zorich (Kenmore, WA) scored in the paint. The Leopards would cut the lead to eight twice in the closing minutes, but Pagkalinawan assisted Jerrier on a basket with :34 seconds left and then hit a last second jumper to help the Bulldogs to a 26-16 advantage after one.
In the second quarter neither team took full control, but the Bulldogs were able to push their lead to 14 multiple times, including as late as the 1:30 mark when Downs' two free throws made it 42-28. The final score of the half came from Zorich who scored off a second chance opportunity she created by grabbing an offensive rebound helping push the lead to 13, 44-31, at the break.
The first shot of the second half came from La Verne who missed a layup and after a Downs defensive rebound, Pagkalinawan scored in the paint and gave Redlands their largest lead of the game at 15, 46-31. That basket, though, would be the second to the last for the next nine minutes for UR as the Leopards went on a 21-2 run taking a 52-49 lead. Leila Hosn (Seattle, WA) made a free throw with :26 seconds remaining in the quarter to make it a two-point deficit three periods.
Just under five minutes remaining La Verne had outscored Redlands by two and led by four points for the fourth time in the final quarter.
Two seconds from the exact middle of the quarter Downs hit a huge three off a Pagkalinawan assist to get the Bulldogs within one, 60-59. Redlands took a timeout with 4:21 on the clock after a Leopard foul that allowed Zorich to come out of the timeout and give Redlands the 61-60 lead.
The game would be tied four different times after that, but with :38 seconds remaining Downs would hit the eventual game-winning shot, a basket in the paint, to make it 69-67. Aliyah Anderson (Oceanside, CA) then made an important free throw to make it a full one-possession game, 70-67.
Over the final nine seconds of the game the fireworks ensued with La Verne converting inside to make it a one-point game. The very next possession Pagkalinawan would turn it over giving ULV one final look for the game winner. The next shot would come up short though as Jerrier would collect the defensive rebound sealing the 70-69 win.
Downs led the way with 19 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Pagkalinawan continued her exceptional all-around play with 15 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals while making 7-of-11 field goal attempts. Joining them in double figures was Zorich with 12 points and two blocks and Jerrier with 12 points, nine rebounds, and two assists.
Redlands will await selection day to find out who and where they will play in the NCAA Division III National Championships.