CLAREMONT, Calif. (Jan. 7, 2009) – When the Tigers took the court for the first time in 2010, after a seven day span without a game, the women's basketball team found itself down at the intermission. A solid 24-point, 11 rebound performance from junior Stephanie Babij was the difference as the Black and Orange rallied to erase an eight point deficit at the half en route to a 62-53 victory in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener.

While Occidental College scored 34 second half points, they limited Pomona-Pitzer to just 5-for-30 shooting (17%) from the field in the second half with their consistent defense. Oxy pulled down 25 rebounds to the Sagehens' 16 and got four blocks from four different players.

With just over 16 minutes to play in the final stanza, Babij pulled the score even at 36-36, sparking a 10-2 run and swinging the momentum of the game in favor of the Tigers. Occidental never trailed again and scored the final six points to put rest any come-back effort from PP.

Babij finished with 24 points, while grabbing 11 rebounds, both game-highs. Makenzie Brandon also recorded a double-double tonight with 10 points and 10 boards while Dior Williams rounded out the double-figure scorers with 12. Brandon dished out four of the Tigers' 17 assists while Laura Mohler and Britinee Yasukochi finished with three apiece. As a team the Tigers shot 41% from the field, but struggled from long range tonight. At the line, they converted 9-for-14 free-throws as Babij was 6-for-9.

Overall, Oxy pulled down 42 rebounds, 12 offensive, which led to 13 points while PP grabbed 40 boards, 16 offensive, that they converted into 11 points. Turnovers hurt the Tigers tonight as the Sagehens also used Oxy's 13 TO's for 11 points.

In just 11 minutes, Katelyn Rowe tallied six rebounds while scoring five points with a block.

Pomona-Pitzer ( 4-6, 0-1 SCIAC) was led by 20 points from Deidre Chew, who put in 8-for-11 shots from the charity stripe. Asha Gipson finished with 10 rebounds for the Sagehens. PP shot just 29% from the field as a team and were just 55% form the free-throw line.

Occidental (8-3, 1-0) will be back on their home court this weekend when they host Whittier College (8-4, 1-0) who defeated Caltech 76-43 on opening night. Teams till tip off at 5:00 p.m. at Rush Gymnasium to precede the men's SCIAC opener against WC at 7:30 p.m.