CLAREMONT, Calif. – Despite Jozie Tangeman's career-high 23 points, Cal Lutheran were unable to outlast the Sagehens of Pomona-Pitzer in their 80-74 defeat, Saturday night at the Rains Center.
With tonight's loss, the Regals (10-13, 7-8 SCIAC) saw their four-game winning streak come to an end and have now been eliminated from playoff contention. CLU shot 45.2% from the floor but struggled from beyond the arc, going just 4-for-20 from three-point range.
The Sagehens (14-9, 9-5 SCIAC) used the three-ball to their advantage on their home court as they hit 10 of their 25 three-point shots (40%). PP had three starters in double figures and managed to just edge the CLU due to some clutch three-pointers in the fourth quarter.
Tangeman shot the ball extremely well on her career night, going for 23 points on 9-15 shooting while hitting all five of her attempts from the charity stripe. Cameron Mallory notched her fourth double-double of the season as she poured in 14 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. Mackenzy Iwahashi contributed 13 points while Natalie Ruhl chipped in with 11. Also having a productive night was Haley Tyrell, dropping nine points while grabbing 12 boards, just missing a double-double.
Cal Lutheran held the advantage after the opening period due to a hot starts from Tangeman and Mallory. Pomona-Pitzer managed to regain the lead before halftime, despite the Regals building a five-point lead early in the second quarter. The hots would rally, however, with a couple late runs to take a 38-37 lead into the break.
The Sagehens would not surrender the lead in the third quarter but the Regals would hang around, managing to stay within four points. This set up for an exciting final 10 minutes of play.
CLU lost some momentum when a quick 7-0 from the hosts put them behind by 11 with just over seven minutes to play. The teams would trade baskets for a few more minutes, but the Regals would continue to play from behind and could not quite get back into the game. Pomona-Pitzer hit some clutch three-pointers down the stretch to keep CLU at bay, and would walk away with the 80-74 victory to clinch a spot in the postseason tournament.
The Regals conclude their season with Senior Night, where the seniors will be honored for their hard work and commitment to the Cal Lutheran women's basketball program, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. inside Gilbert Arena.
Box Score: CLU 74, PP 80
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Release by Jeff Rebello, Assistant Sports Information Director
