Box Score WHITTIER, CA -- UC Santa Cruz played their final game of 2014 against the University of Redlands in Whittier. The game was a part of the Purple and Gold Poet Classic. This game was the second of two between the two schools this season. The Banana Slugs used a strong first half performance to beat the Bulldogs 68-57.
Both teams were coming off losses on Monday in Whittier. UC Santa Cruz lost to the host Whittier College Poets 78-63 in the late game of the first day and the Bulldogs lost 50-47 to Albion College in the first men's game of the tournament.
The first half was played in a back and forth fashion with no team garnering a considerable lead until under ten minutes left in the half. The Bulldogs would have their largest lead at two, on two occasions; the second coming with 15:21 left in the half on a Connor Griffin three pointer. The Banana Slugs would take the lead for good, at 17-15, on a James Townsend three pointer with 8:19 left in the half. The Banana Slugs would take their largest lead of the half at nine, at 29-20, after a Matthew Ponce free throw with thirty seconds left. Griffin would miss a jumper before the end of the half as the Banana Slugs lead 29-20 at the halftime intermission.
The Banana Slugs would expand their lead to double digits, at 31-20, with the first basket of the half on a Townsend layup. The Bulldogs would cut the Banana Slugs' lead to four, on two occasions; the second occasion coming at 35-31 on a pair of Aljosa Bjekovic free throws with 16:40 left. The Banana Slugs would quickly expand their lead back to double digits, at 41-31, with 14:01 left on a Matthew Ponce layup. The Banana Slugs would gain their largest lead of the game at fifteen, at 46-31, on a Tyler Berkness three pointer with 12:56 left in the game. The Banana Slugs' lead would be trimmed to five on three occasions, the third coming at 56-51 with 3:17 left after a pair of Griffin free throws. The Slugs would make nine free throws down the stretch and would win 68-57 over the Bulldogs.
Berkness had a game high twenty six points, off the bench, for the Banana Slugs. Bjekovic had seventeen points for the Bulldogs. Adam Marlow had fifteen points and Jared Ponce had twelve points in the win. Milligan had thirteen points for the Bulldogs.
The Banana Slugs shot 35.1% (20-57) from the field, 30.8% (8-26) from the three point line and was 69% (20-29) from the free throw line. The Bulldogs shot 29.3% (17-58) from the field, 18.2% (4-22) from the three point line and 76% (19-25) from the foul line. UC Santa Cruz's defense forced nineteen Bulldog turnovers scoring twenty points off the turnovers while the Bulldogs' defense forced twelve turnovers by UC Santa Cruz scoring nine points off the turnovers. University of Redlands outrebounded UC Santa Cruz 48-40 but the Banana Slugs had fifteen more points (36-21) off the bench than did the Bulldogs.
The Slugs will play their next game on January 7th as they take on NAIA Division II member Pacific Union College at Kaiser Permanente Arena. Tipoff is set for 7:30 pm.
