THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (Jan. 17, 2023) – The Whittier College women's basketball resumed its busy week of action at California Lutheran University on Wednesday evening in a battle of SCIAC heavyweights – the conference's No. 1 and No. 2 teams.
Despite a strong performance from junior forward Lulu Salloom (Santa Clarita, Calif. / Saugus / College of the Canyons) along with another fourth-quarter surge, the Poets came up short against the Regals. The game also marked the first time the Poets have ceded more than 70 points to an opponent in 15 regular season games this season. The junior transfer did her part by coming up one rebound shy of a double-double and knocking down all eight of her free throws en route to a 21-point performance. However, the Poets were unable to create turnovers against the Regals to the same effect they have against other opponents, limiting junior guard Rhe Nae Leach's (Riverside, Calif. John W. North) opportunities to score in transition. Leach did manage to lead all Poets with four assists, however.
Whittier also managed to put up a competitive first-half against Cal Lutheran, nearly matching the home team's scoring with a solid 39 first-half points. However, a big third quarter gave the Regals an edge that, in spite of the Poets' fourth-quarter proficiency this season, they were unable to erase. Still, three players finished in double-figures, including Salloom, Leach, and senior forward Lainie James (La Habra, Calif. / Sonora / Concordia University Irvine), who also stood out as one of two Whittier players to pick up multiple steals, the other being junior guard Abby Pagila (Oakland, Calif. / Bishop O'Dowd).
With Cal Lutheran up by as many as 16 points in the fourth quarter, the Poets were able to whittle the lead down to nine points on a 7-0 run fueled by two of Salloom's eight free throws, as well as much-needed and-one opportunity from Leach and an ensuing jumper to follow. Senior center Bella Robles (Lompoc, Calif. / Lompoc) then rejected a Cal Lutheran scoring opportunity to give the Poets the ball back down nine with two minutes left, but the Purple & Gold simply ran out of time and will look to even the season series with the Regals when the action returns to the Graham Athletic Center next month.
Head Coach Roy Dow and the Poets will look to rebound and take control back of the SCIAC Regular Season title picture when they host Chapman University for a 4 p.m. game on Saturday, Jan. 20.
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