Occidental Loses at the Buzzer to the Bulldogs

REDLANDS, Calif. (Feb. 24, 2009) – Entering the final contest of the 2008-09 regular season, the Tigers and Bulldogs both wanted to end frustrating seasons with a win.  Both teams played hard, not giving an inch, and it came down to the final play as Redlands scored with 2.7 seconds left in regulation.  Stealing the victory on a baseline inbounds play and notching the 63-62 victory.

What could have been the theme of the Tigers season, as their hard play was rewarded with one or two tough breaks, and tonight was no different.  As the Bulldogs came out quickly, jumping out to a 10-5 lead before Occidental knotted the game at ten.  Which is the way the game went for most of the first half, as Redlands would pull ahead, and then Oxy would claw its way back to close the gap. 

The Tigers finally took a lead with 5:28 to play, as Sam Kesten buried a three pointer off a kick out from Justin Goltz who had just wrestled the offensive rebound from two Redlands players, putting Oxy up 23-22.  That lead lasted all of 24 seconds, as Redlands quickly countered and went into the locker room up 36-30.

Redlands dominated the interior in the first half, scoring 16 points to the Tigers 10, but that was about to change.  As Oxy started pounding the ball inside and slowly began to change the complexion of the game.  The Tigers had to grind out every possession on offense and defense, finally surging ahead by three on a three point play as Sean Anderson spun and dunked on his Redlands defender, then headed to the line to finish the three point play with 3:38 left to play and the Tigers up 61-58. 

Twenty five seconds later the Bulldogs tied the score with a three pointer, but a Jack Hanley free throw gave the Tigers the lead once again.  But victory would slip through their fingers as Redlands scored on the final possession on a miscommunication by Occidental, securing a 63-62 victory. 

Oxy was led by the duo of Anderson, who finished 24 points and 10 boards, and Hanley who chipped in with 15 points and two steals.  Redlands was spurned on by Matt Dietrich’s 18 points and 10 rebounds and Patrick Coffey’s 17 points. 

Occidental finished the 2008-09 campaign 11-14 overall and 7-7 in the SCIAC.  But with only two seniors on the roster, look for the breaks to start falling Occidental’s way next season.