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Los Angeles, CA— The Occidental women's basketball team was in action on Monday afternoon, looking for their 3rd straight SCIAC win in a matchup with the Caltech Beavers. 

The Beavers came out on a hot streak in the 1st quarter and were able to get a 8 point lead at the end of the quarter by closing it out on an 11-0 scoring run. Oxy was prepared to battle back even though Caltech also scored the first 5 points of the 2nd quarter to take a 22-9 lead. 

Oxy began to get back in the game beginning with Toni Thompson making it to the free throw line and knocking down free throws. Then Dominique Cabading would knock down a jumper and Dara Tokeshi followed with a 3-pointer and made a layup. 

Amaia McCoy and Ainsley Shelsta also made layups as the Tigers began to get their rhythm going on offense. The quarter was closed by Paige Yasukochi making two free throws to cap a 15-2 run by Oxy to tie the game at 24 heading into the halftime break. 

Oxy would also come out firing to start the 3rd quarter as they quickly scored the first 6 points of the half to take a 30-24 lead. Caltech continued to battle back however and they responded with their own 7-0 run to take a 1 point lead. The quarter closed with Ainsley Shelsta making a layup and two free throws on the next possession and Oxy held a 34-31 lead heading into the final quarter. 

The 4th quarter was tightly contested as each team was making clutch shots. The Tigers had their lead up to 6 points with 4 and a half minutes remaining in the game but Caltech battled back with clutch 3-pointers. The Beavers took a 1 point lead on a made jumper with just over a minute and a half to go, but Toni Thompson would take the ball straight to the paint on the next Oxy possession and get a layup to take the 1 point lead back.

Caltech responded with their own made layup and on the next Oxy possession, Michelle Lagunas-Monroy was fouled on her way to the hoop. Lagunas-Monroy would calmly knock down both free throws and the Oxy lead was 48-47. On the next possession Lagunas-Monroy was fouled again but this time made one of two free throws and the lead was 49-47 Tigers.

Caltech was able to draw up a solid play and get into their paint and make a layup to tie the game at 49. Oxy would have the ball with less than 30 seconds on the clock and Toni Thompsno would wait until the clock was at about 7 seconds remaining to begin her move to the paint. 

Thompson drove hard and drew the contact from the Caltech defenders to get to the line where she would knock down the first of two free throws. With 1.8 left on the clock, Thompson would miss the second free throw and the Beavers called time with .8 left on the clock. The Tigers stopped the ensuing Caltech play on a lob towards the hoop to secure the win by a score of 50-49 in a thrilling matchup. 

Oxy improves to 6-2 in SCIAC play and 13-2 overall and will look to keep their strong play going as they will travel to Pomona to take on the Sagehens on Wednesday, January 17th at 7pm.