Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

REDLANDS, Calif. – The Whittier College women's basketball team had a lead as many as 24 Monday evening as they rolled to the convincing 85-71 victory over the University of Redlands.

Following a tight win over Pomona-Pitzer Saturday night, Whittier (7-7, 3-3 SCIAC) on short rest went on the road and extended their winning streak to two games, while moving up into fourth place in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) standings. 

Whittier shot the lights out going 31-62 (50.0%) from the field, and 14-26 (53.8%) from three point territory led by senior Dannika Navales-Lugtu (San Francisco, Calif.) who tossed in a season high 26 points going 6-of-14 from deep, while dishing out six assists.

Whittier jumped out in front early but saw UR rally to take an 18-16 lead with 10:54 to play in the first half.  However, a 14-2 run by the Poets quickly made it 30-20 with less than seven minutes remaining on the clock.  During this stretch, Navales-Lugtu and Carly Buechler (Denver, CO) converted three baskets from downtown.

Five minutes later the deficit was cut to seven but Navles-Lugtu would then take matters into her own hands scoring the final eight points of the half to extend the WC lead to 14 at the break, 42-28.

Whittier's hot shooting continued in the second half building a lead as a much as 24 with 12:42 to go.  Redlands wouldn't go away however as they would put together a late surge sparked by Caitlin Ciardella who added 10 points, which included two triples.

This surge would get the Bulldogs within 13 but that that's as close as they would get as the Purple & Gold would cruise to the 14 point victory.

Buechler would finish with 12 points going 4-of-5 from three point territory.  Priscilla Rodriguez (East Los Angeles, Calif.) would also total 12 points along with three boards and three assists, while Erica Houston (Stockton, Calif.) added seven points and seven boards off the bench.  Ana Youngblood (Berkeley, Calif.) barely missed a double double finishing with nine rebounds and nine points.

Redlands won the rebounding effort 37-34, which included 17 offensive boards, but the Poets would add 18 second chance points, put in 30 points in the paint, and collected 20 assists. 

Whittier remains on the road and looks to win their third straight as they travel to Occidental College this Saturday, January 24 beginning at 2:00pm.