CLAREMONT, Calif. — Sophomore guards Kailee Yan and Jozie Tangeman led the Cal Lutheran offense Saturday night with 14 and 11 points, respectively, but a big second half allowed the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens to take the game 62-56.
Not only did she record her season-high in points, but Yan also posted her best shooting percentage from behind the arc. She shot 44.4 percent from three-point range, nailing four of nine attempts. Overall, the guard shot 41.7 percent (5-12) from the floor in her best performance since January 16 when she recorded 13 points against La Verne.
Also shooting 5-12 from the floor, Tangeman strung together her eighth double-digit scoring night of the season and fourth in the last five games. She also added one block and a team-best three assists. Closely behind, freshman Cameron Mallory was both just a point and rebound shy of her first career double-double (nine points, nine rebounds), while junior Natalie Ruhl and sophomore Jade Jordan each contributed eight points apiece.
As a whole, the Regals narrowly outshot the Sagehens 35.5 percent (22-62) to 34.3 (23-67). However, it was the defense that allowed Cal Lutheran to lead for nearly three quarters of the game, holding Pomona-Pitzer to just 18.8 percent from three-point range.
A slow first quarter went toe-to-toe, Cal Lutheran trailing by just one 14-13 after the first ten minutes of play. However, soon trailing 18-13 with 7:49 to play in the second period, Mallory caught fire and went back-to-back with a layup and deep three to knot things up at 18 apiece.
Ruhl and Tangeman followed the momentum and pushed Cal Lutheran to their largest lead of the game, up by five 27-22 with three minutes to play in the first half. And though Pomona-Pitzer's Carly Leong responded with a trey of her own, the Regals headed into halftime with the 29-25 lead.
On the other hand, the Sagehens were able to find their rhythm in the second half of the contest, opening with 20 points in the third quarter compared to the Regals' 13, and retook the lead with just one minute to play in the period.
Not going down without a fight, Yan carried the team in the fourth quarter with nine of her 14 points, all coming from three crucial long-range shots that brought the team back within just a 60-56 deficit with two minutes left on the clock.
However, a steal by Amara Chidom with just 25 seconds left put the ball in Sagehen possession and Renae Tamura laid the dagger with the final layup to go up 62-56.
The loss moves Cal Lutheran to 9-14 overall and 6-8 in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Still in contention for the fourth and final playoffs spot, the Regals return to Gilbert Arena for their final two contests. They take on the Redlands Bulldogs on Wednesday, February 13, at 7 p.m. and the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athenas on Saturday, February 16, at 5 p.m.
Box Score: PP 62, CLU 56
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Release by Christy Effendie, Assistant Sports Information Director
