Photo by: Tracy Maple

LA VERNE, Calif. - The University of La Verne turned a six-point halftime lead into a 20-point advantage with 12:32 to play in the game as the Leopards handed the Whittier College women's basketball team a 76-53 loss on Thursday evening.

The Poets (13-9, 6-5 SCIAC) came out of the gate swinging but had difficulty matching the shooting of the Leopards. La Verne was 10-of-23 (43 percent) from long range while Whittier miss fired on all eight of its three-point attempts.

The Leopards' hot hand resulted in 52 percent shooting while the Poets, despite their struggles from deep, shot 42 percent from the floor.

Whittier and La Verne (11-11, 4-7) went back and forth in the first half. The lead changed hands nine times in the first 20 minutes which includes the last time of the game at the 3:01 mark. WC took its final lead with 3:25 before the break but the Leopards reclaimed the lead on the ensuing possession.

The Leopards led 38-32 at the break.

The second half opened with a run that put the game out of reach for the Poets. The La Verne lead hit 10 points just 2:30 into the half and hit the 20-point mark five minutes later.

Whittier was held to just 21 points in the second half.

Kourtney Zilbert scored a team-high 19 points and Tina Merlino chipped in with 14.

The two teams combined to take only 12 foul shots.

Whittier now holds a two-game lead, with three to play, for the fourth and final conference playoff spot. Whittier will face Redlands, at Redlands, on Saturday at 5:00 pm.

The Poets will also face fifth place Claremont-M-S, in a game that could decide the fourth playoff spot, next Thursday and will end the regular-season against Cal Lutheran.