Photo: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

LA VERNE, Calif. (Feb. 12, 2022) – The Whittier College women's basketball team took a setback in its pursuit of the second seed in the upcoming SCIAC Tournament when they traveled to the University of La Verne on Saturday afternoon.

The Poets, while still in the driver's seat for the second seed, can still clinch the spot with a win next weekend, but will need some help in the event of a loss. As for Saturday's game, the Poets took it to the host Leopards early, reversing their fortunes from the two teams' meeting on Dave Jacob Court back in January. However, the Leopards would be the team to improve more down the stretch this time as the Whittier offense struggled to find a rhythm. Junior forward Lainie James (La Habra, Calif. / Sonora) did score 17 points on 50-percent shooting, while front-court mate Shaeleigh Wright (Long Beach, Calif. / Long Beach Millikan) helped carry the scoring for the Poets with an additional 12 pointson 6-of-9 shooting.

The opportunities were certainly there for the Poets, as they took a season-high 74 shots, marking the first time the team has taken more than 70 shots this season. Even still, the visitors at one point held a 45-44 lead in the fourth quarter and showed they can still be dangerous even when the baskets aren't falling. Whittier also had little issue finding space for its shooters, as they still managed to assist on 16 of 26 field goals while winning the turnover battle 11-17. The rebounding battle was also an essential wash between the two teams, with freshman Rhe Nae Leach (Riverside, Calif. / John W. North) coming off the bench to lead with nine rebounds.

Head Coach Roy Dow and the Poets will close the 2022 regular season on Saturday, Feb. 19 when they host Caltech at 7 p.m.

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