PASADENA, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Basketball team dropped a hard fought game on the road against Caltech Wednesday night 61-53, which eliminates them from contention in hosting a first round game for the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Post Season Tournament.
Redlands drops to 10-11, 6-9 SCIAC and currently sits 6th within the conference standings, which right now would match them up with Claremont-M-S (3rd – 10-4, 15-5 SCIAC). For the game the Maroon and Grey shot 35.7% from the field, 26.1% from three-point territory and 70% from the free-throw line. They were outrebounded 44-30 and added 24 points in the paint, while getting 26 points from the bench.
It was a slow start to the game offensively for both teams as UR put up just two points across the opening seven minutes. They did hold Caltech though to only 12 points, as they stayed close early. At the 10:38 mark Colin McCarthy (Redwood City, CA) hit a three that brought the Bulldogs within four, 16-12, and was followed by Josh Himel (Jacksonville, FL) who connected from deep :31 seconds later that made it a three-point game.
First year Gunner Wooden (Canton, MI) would close the gap further, as the deficit became two for the first time since the opening minutes. Despite the run, Redlands trailed by seven at the 6:26 mark. The Bulldogs would draw within a single point with 3:37 left after they went on an 8-2 run, thanks to jumpers from McCarthy and Power. But that one-point deficit was the closest Redlands would get in the first half as they trailed by six at the break, 33-26.
In the first two minutes of the second half, Justice Marmara (Arlington, TX) got his offense going adding four unanswered to make it another one-possession game, 33-30. After that CIT would put together five straight of their own to make it an eight-point game as they regained control with 15:17 left.
Sam Abere (Lake Oswego, OR) and the hometown kid Neil Owens (Pasadena, CA) brought some life back into the Bulldogs combining for five unanswered that again moved the deficit to three. Then after going back-and-forth over the next few minutes, Caltech was able to increase their lead going in front by six. But again UR was able to rally this time thanks to Romeo Mays (Vallejo, CA) who got the Bulldogs within three at 47-44 highlighted by a two handed jam.
The last six minutes went the way much of the game had, the Beavers took a multi-possession lead, the Bulldogs would respond but could not take a lead, as Caltech would take advantage of the foul trouble the Bulldogs found themselves in, converting on all six free throws in the final :35 seconds to come away with the victory.
Owens was the only Bulldog in double figures with 12 points. Mays had a good all-around game with eight points, eight rebounds, four blocks, one assist, and one steal. Marmara and McCarthy led the bench combining for 17 points.
Redlands has their final regular season game inside Currier Gym for senior night against Claremont-M-S on Monday, February 21 beginning at 7:00 p.m.