Los Angeles, CA — The Cal Lutheran Regals were in town on Monday night to face the Oxy women's basketball team in the second match up of the season between the two teams that met in last year's SCIAC Tournament Championship.

The Regals came into the match up having won their last 4 conference games, and they came out strong to start the game, leading 23-12 after the 1st quarter. Oxy battled back thanks to a great effort in the 2nd quarter from Ila Giblin, who scored 6 points in the quarter. 

Dominique Cabading and Dara Tokeshi knocked down one 3-pointer each to help the Tigers outscore the Regals 18-14 in the quarter to trail by only 6 heading into halftime. 

Cal Lutheran started fast in the 3rd quarter and got their lead back up to 11 points, but Oxy stayed poised and got back into the game again with strong defense and offensive runs. 

The first run was sparked by Tokeshi making her second 3-pointer of the game and then Giblin had back-to-back buckets in the paint and suddenly it was only a 4-point game. 

Towards the end of the 3rd quarter Emily Ko caught fire for Oxy, scoring the team's last 3 baskets of the quarter, cutting the Regal lead down to only 3 points heading into the fourth and final quarter. 

Cal Lutheran once again started a quarter with a scoring run, putting up the first 6 points of the 4th quarter to lead by 9. Ko stayed hot on offense and kept Oxy in the game, scoring 7 of the Tigers' first 9 points in the 4th, including two 3-pointers.

After Ko's second 3-pointer, Oxy tied the game at 60 on a layup from Dara Tokeshi and then with 2:37 left in the game a confident Emily Ko stepped into a 3-pointer and got the bucket after a high bounce off of the rim to give the Tigers the lead.

Ko would score again with a layup on the next play and Oxy led by 5 before the Regals hit a 3-pointer to cut it to 2 with only 24 seconds to play in the game. The Tigers worked to get the ball inbounded before being fouled and sent to the line where they would knock down 1 of 2 to make it a 3-point game. 

Cal Lutheran's 3-pointer to tie the game on the next possession was no good and Oxy sealed the game after the Regals nearly stole the ball on the inbound, but eventually Ko was fouled and sent to the line where she knocked down both free throws. 

BY THE NUMBERS

The Tigers were led by Ila Giblin and Emily Ko in this game. Giblin was a force on defense with 3 big blocks down the stretch, and also played great offensively scoring 18 points to go with 16 rebounds. 

Ko led all scorers with 27 points and also had 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Dara Tokeshi also had double digit points with 13 points.

The Tigers shot 45.0% from the field and 46.7% from the 3-point line, while holding Cal Lu to 40.0% from the field and 28.0% from 3-point range. 

UP NEXT

Now with a 7-6 SCIAC record, the Tigers are only one game behind the Regals for third place in the conference. Oxy's next game will be against the CMS Athenas on Wednesday, February 12th in Rush Gym at 7:00pm.