THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Needing a win to keep its post season hopes alive, Cal Lutheran got at least a point from all 14 players Thursday night and throttled Whittier 85-68 in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) action. The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Regals while keeping them in the hunt for a SCIAC Post Season bid as they improved their conference record to 9-6. Hayley Hodgson and Chelsea Jacoby combined for 41 points and 14 rebounds to guide the Regals in the victory. The game was also a part of the Play 4 Kay series with Cal Lutheran raising funds for breast cancer awareness and the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.
Cal Lutheran had an unselfish opening period, dishing out 10 assists and 19 baskets as it climbed out to a 41-32 halftime lead. The Regals shot 50 percent from the field (19-38) while forcing 14 Whittier turnovers.
Trailing 17-16 at the 9:27 mark, Cal Lutheran would outscore Whittier 17-4 over the next five minutes. CLU forced turnovers on back-to-back Whittier possessions and got fast-break baskets from Jacoby and Jessica Salottolo as the Regals reclaimed the lead at 22-17. Jacoby would later score four points on the run before Hodgson gave CLU a 33-21 lead after putting in two jumpers.
Whittier would cut the lead to nine just before halftime as Erica Houston corralled in an offensive rebound with five seconds left and then scored on a put-back.
The Poets would continue to dwindle the CLU lead coming out of halftime, capitalizing on Cal Lutheran starting the half just 2-of-10 shooting. Whittier cut it to a seven point lead when Carly Buechler made a lay-up and then Danielle Quinones would come up with a steal and made a free-throw to trim the margin to six at 49-43 with 13:52 left to play.
However, the Regals would then rev up their defense, forcing nine turnovers on Whittier's next 13 possessions while rebuilding its lead to 20 at 74-54. Jacoby had eight points in the surge while Salottolo had six more.
The final five minutes were bogged down as the teams combined to commit 48 fouls. Hayley Jensen's free-throw with 28 seconds left with cap the game's scoring and meant all 14 players had at least one point for CLU.
Hodgson led all scorers with 23 points while Jacoby had 18. Salottolo also reached double-figures with 10 points off the bench. Keeley Anderson poured in eight points and four assists while Natalie Stone finished with four points, four rebounds and four assists despite being in foul trouble most of the game. Sofia Cruz had seven points and three steals. Cal Lutheran's freshman group of Gianna Dibacco, Sam Hernandez, Katy Lindor, Taylor Messick, Trianna Owen and Lydia Snodderly all finished with a basket.
Dannika Navales-Lugu led Whittier with 15 points including three three-pointers.
With the loss, Whittier falls to 1-23 overall and 1-14 in the SCIAC.
Cal Lutheran (13-11 overall, 9-6 SCIAC) can lock up a berth into the SCIAC Post Season Tournament with a win over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Saturday, Feb. 22, or a La Verne loss to Chapman. Tip-off with the Athenas inside of Gilbert Arena is set for 7:00 p.m.
Box Score: CLU 85 WC 68
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