Fast Start Carries Whittier Past CMS Women's Basketball

CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Whittier women's basketball team shot 81.3 percent in the first quarter (13-16) to take a 32-19 lead and held off Claremont-Mudd-Scripps the rest of the way for a 77-57 win on Wednesday evening at Roberts Pavilion.

Whititer improves to 6-2 on the season with the win and remains undefeated in SCIAC play at 3-0. CMS, which was missing four players due to injury, slips to 1-7 overall and 0-3 in SCIAC play with the loss. 

Tanya Ghai led CMS with 15 points, while Katie Resendiz and Sadie Heckman, who returned after missing the last three games with an injury, each had 12. Lainie James led all players for Whittier with 28 points, while Rhe Nae Leach had 18 and LuLu Salloom had 16 points and 11 rebounds. 

The Athenas adjusted defensively after the torrid first quarter, and held the Poets to only 27 points in the entire second half, on 40 percent shooting. The hill was too big to climb, though, after the Poets led 50-32 at the half. 

Heckman eclipsed her previous career high of 10 points with her 12-point effort, while Resendiz added six steals and four assists to go with her 12 points. Ghai was 6-13 from the floor and 3-6 from three on her way to 15. 

CMS will be back in action in 10 days when it hosts Whitworth on Monday, Dec. 18 after a break for final exams.