Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – Senior Dannika Navales-Lugtu (San Francisco, Calif.) and junior Priscilla Rodriguez (East Los Angeles, Calif.) led the Whittier College women's basketball team to a come from behind 64-62 victory over Occidental College Wednesday night during Play 4 Kay.

Navales-Lugtu knocked down the game tying three pointer from the corner with :16 seconds left on the clock and Rodriguez nailed the game winning jumper in the paint that propelled the Poets to the two point victory.

With the win the Poets snap a two game losing skid and keep their Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) playoff hopes alive as they improve to 10-12, 6-8 SCIAC.

The game saw a combined 10 ties and 19 lead changes in a game that saw a lead as much as nine by the Poets.  In a seesaw battle in the first half the Poets managed to open the game up stretching a three minute span where they put together a 10-0 run thanks to seven points from Carly Buechler (Denver, CO) that moved the score to 26-17.

But that lead would soon be short-lived as the Tigers would storm back in the final 2:47 to add the final eight points that pulled them within one 26-25 at the break. 

In the second half, the tug-a-war continued but this time in the favor of Occidental who fought to grab a six point lead with 3:50 remaining in the game.  But in the end it was the Poets stifling defense and suffocating press that induced 14 second half turnovers, with the biggest coming with seven seconds left from Triana Anderson.  She attempted a full court pass, which ended up going out of bounds giving the Poets one final look for the game winner, which Rodriguez connected on. 

Leading 62-59 with :19 seconds left, the Tigers had a chance to go up four but Erin Matsumoto made just one of two from the free throw line that allowed Navales-Lugtu to come down on Whittier's ensuing possession and drill a dagger that brought the Poet faithful to their feet.    

The Poets had four of the five starters all score in double figures with Buechler, Rodriguez, and Navales-Lugtu each finishing with 12 points each.  Ana Youngblood (Berkeley, Calif.) proved crucial inside as she collected another double double on the season with 10 points and 18 rebounds.  Erica Houston (Stockton, Calif.) also got involved inside collecting nine rebounds and four points in 16 minutes, while Kamila Auls (Long Beach, Calif.) proved to be a menace for the Tiger point guards forcing four takeaways.            

Whittier has a bye this weekend but look forward to their meeting with the University of Redlands Monday, February 23 in the Graham Athletic Center at 5:30pm during PAC the GAC.