Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

REDLANDS, Calif. – The Whittier College men's basketball team dropped their fourth straight contest and their third straight SCIAC game after they fell 93-79 Saturday evening to the Bulldogs of the University of Redlands.

Whittier now drops to 5-8, 1-3 SCIAC, while Redlands improves to 9-4, 4-0 SCIAC. 

Despite seeing four players reach double figures for the Poets, the Bulldogs proved to be a mismatch inside as they outrebounded the Poets 45-31, while pouring in 20 second chance points.  Whittier held the advantage in field goal percentage shooting 54%, while also finishing 9-21 (43%) from downtown but were unable to hold the Bulldog bench from pouring in 54 points, which included 24 from Alex Rudd, 14 from Ricky Peetz, and 13 from Brandon Hrboka. 

Aaron Fernandez led the Poets off the bench with 12 points on 4-9 shooting going 3-7 from deep, while Tyree Landrum barely missed a double double chipping in with 15 points on 7-10 shooting, while hauling in nine rebounds.  Chris Barnes-Williams who was named the SCIAC Male Athlete of the Week this past week was held three points under his average after finishing with 12 points on 3-7 shooting.

Phillip Thomas who usually comes off the bench for the Purple & Gold got the starting nod at guard and finished with nine points on 4-10 shooting but dished out a game high seven assists.  Jacob Porter and Willie Mebane both finished in double figures totaling 13 and 11 points, each respectively, while Porter hauled in six boards.

Whittier jumped out of the starting blocks quickly going on a 9-2 run capped off with a Landrum dunk.  After the Poets extended their lead to 17-8 after a Thomas layup, Redlands mounted their comeback going on their own 11-2 run to pull even at 19-19 at the 14:20 mark.  After UR grabbed a one point lead 22-21 after two Hrboka free throws, Whittier again stormed out in front adding back to back to back three pointers from Fernandez and Mebane immediately followed by a Landrum layin that again put the Poets up 32-27. 

Over the next 11 minutes, there were three ties and three lead changes and Redlands held a six point lead with 2:35 to play in the first half until the Poets answered with two straight three balls from Thomas and Ben Maynard and a free throw from Landrum that gave WC a 47-46 lead going into the half.          

Coming out of the break, it proved to be all Bulldogs as they shot 46% from the field getting 18 points from Rudd who sank four three pointers.  Whittier was outscored 47-32 despite opening a five point lead coming out of the intermission.  At the 16 minute mark, Redlands began their run and two minutes later Rudd capped off his own 8-0 run that put UR in front 61-60.  From there, Redlands wouldn't look back as they extended a lead to 68-62 and then 75-63, which proved to be a margin that was too difficult to overcome down the stretch as Redlands held on for the 14 point victory.    

Whittier returns to the court as they welcome in the Kingsmen of Cal Lutheran University, Wednesday, January 16 with tip-off set for 7:30pm.