THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – In one of the most electric afternoons Gilbert Arena has seen this season, Cal Lutheran men's basketball turned the page in emphatic fashion, knocking off No. 7 Redlands 82-70 on Saturday.
After being handled by the Bulldogs in their first meeting this season, the Kingsmen came out intent on changing the narrative. From the opening tip, Cal Lutheran matched Redlands' physicality and quickly dictated the pace, setting the tone with strong defense and shot-making that kept the Bulldogs searching for answers.
The opening minutes were tight before CLU found its rhythm.
Ryder Mjoen sparked the first surge with a pair of three-pointers, and the Kingsmen began to find success attacking inside.
Josh DeVore's energy shifted momentum midway through the half, as his steal and fast-break dunk punctuated a run that stretched the lead to eight and put Redlands on its heels.
Cal Lutheran continued to pour it on down the stretch of the first half. Mjoen knocked down three straight free throws, while
Jaden Young buried consecutive baskets to extend the advantage. The Kingsmen built the lead to as many as 20 points and carried a commanding 48-32 edge into the locker room, firmly in control of the contest.
Redlands opened the second half with urgency, attacking the paint to chip away at the deficit. Each push, however, was met with an answer. Young halted momentum time and again, drilling four fast-break three-pointers throughout the half, while the Kingsmen's defense tightened and limited second chances.
The Kingsmen's depth proved decisive as the game wore on. Cal Lutheran's bench flooded the floor with fresh legs, winning hustle plays and turning defense into offense while feeding off the energy of the home crowd and reasserting control.
Young led all scorers with 22 points, connecting on six three-pointers, while Mjoen added 20 as the duo both eclipsed their career-high scoring marks. DeVore finished with 10 points and several momentum-swinging plays, and
Andrew Pipersburgh anchored the interior with 10 rebounds. Cal Lutheran dominated bench scoring, outscoring Redlands 47-8 in a defining advantage that sealed the upset.
Down the stretch, the Kingsmen closed with poise, turning defensive stops into points and keeping the Bulldogs at bay until the final buzzer. With the win, Cal Lutheran improves to 10-10 overall and 5-6 in conference play, while Redlands slides to 17-3 (9-2 SCIAC).
The Kingsmen return to action Wednesday, February 4, traveling to face No. 10 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at 7 p.m. in another marquee matchup.
