Photo by: Davis Gerber

REDLANDS, Calif. – Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play opened up Saturday evening on the men's side and the Whittier College men's basketball team ran into a roadblock in the Bulldogs of the University of Redlands falling 90-64 at Currier Gym.

Redlands forward Alex Rudd led the way finishing with a career high 27 points.  Whittier led early 7-4 after a Nick Demusis (Mililani, HI) three pointer but it would be short lived as the Bulldogs would answer with back to back tre's from Ricky Peetz that put the Bulldogs in front 10-7.  This lead they would not relinquish as that would spearhead a 17-0 run, which was capped off with back to back to back three pointers from Rudd that opened the game up 21-7.

Whittier attempted to respond with a 6-0 run midway through the half and then would get another little run at the 8:09 mark that pulled the Purple & Gold within eight but Redlands would thwart any attack by the Poets as they would end the half on a 9-3 run to go into the break up 40-28.

Out of the locker room, Eric Jennings (Fontana, Calif.) and Demusis responded with a jumper and a jam to pull Whittier within eight, but again Redlands would answer maintaining their 10 point lead before increasing the Poet deficit to 27, which would be maintained throughout the rest of the half.

Whittier was at a disadvantage on the glass 54-36 but the big difference was in bench points where the Bulldogs received contributions from eight different players combining for 53 points. 

Demusis finished with a team high 22 points on 10-19 shooting along with three steals, with Dylan Irwin (Redondo Beach, Calif.) being the only other Poet to record double digits with 11 points on 5-7 shooting and four boards.

The Poets return to the court in two weeks on Monday, December 16 when they faceoff against Chapman University on the road with game time set for 7:30pm.