WHITTIER, Calif. (Feb. 3, 2024) – The Whittier College women's basketball team nearly overcame a sluggish start to Saturday's SCIAC game against Occidental College. However, the Tigers managed to survive a second-half surge from the home team and took over sole possession of first place in the SCIAC standings.
One week after clearing 1,000 points less than three full years into her tenure as a Poet, Rhe Nae Leach (Riverside, Calif. / John W. North) became one of the fastest players in program history to join the 500-rebound club, making to back-to-back milestones for the junior standout. Leach also led the way for Whittier with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting, and played an integral role in the Poets holding the Tigers to just five third-quarter points. However, mounting foul trouble prevented to the Poets from holding the Tigers to another five-spot in the final frame.
Whittier's front court tandem of senior Lainie James (La Habra, Calif. / Sonora / Concordia University Irvine) and junior Lulu Salloom (Santa Clarita, Calif. / Saugus College of the Canyons) played the entire game, with the junior once again serving as an anchor for the Poets on both sides of the court. Salloom had one of Whittier's five blocks on the game, while senior center Bella Robles led all players with three. Ultimately, the biggest statistical discrepancy came at the free throw line. While the Tigers committed just three fewer fouls than the Poets, they took three times the amount of foul shots despite Whittier shooting 6-for-8 from the line. Oxy responded by shooting 80 percent from the line. Had they shot closer to 60 percent, more opportunities may have materialized for the Poets to alter the trajectory of the game.
Despite Oxy leading by as many as 18 points in the third quarter, the Poets managed to cut the visitors' lead to as few as five towards the beginning of the fourth quarter. A successful layup from the fast break from senior guard Citlalli Gurrola (San Diego, Calif. / Mount Miguel Miles CC | UNLV) closed out the big run for the Poets, but a successful counter from the Tigers ultimately proved too much to overcome.
The Poets are still firmly in contention for the SCIAC Postseason Tournament, though they now occupy the fourth spot. However, the Purple & Gold are no worse than 1.5 games back of the top four teams, and hold a two-game lead on the University of Redlands with four games remaining in the regular season.
Head Coach Roy Dow and the Poets will return on Wednesday, Feb. 7 to rematch the University of La Verne on Faculty Appreciation Night. The game will get underway at 7 p.m. at the Graham Athletic Center.
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