Photo by: Justin Hyon, Caltech Yearbook

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Feb. 5, 2022) – Another impressive offensive effort from junior Sahana Saikumar (Arcadia, Calif. / Arcadia) was almost enough in an overtime thriller defeat at Occidental College on Saturday afternoon.

Saikumar poured in 28 point, including going 11-for-12 from the free-throw line, for her ninth 20-point game of the season. The Tigers withstood Caltech's defensive prowess in limiting themselves to just seven turnovers, while the Beavers struggled with foul trouble that limited the impact of rookie star Kathryn Edwards (Centennial, Colo. / Arapahoe) and sent Saikumar to the bench for good late in OT.

Oxy gained the early edge with a 7-2 run over the final 2:20 of the first quarter. It took another five minutes before Saikumar hit Caltech first shot of the second (a free throw), but a late flurry from the Beavers' star salvaged just a 13-9 deficit that read 32-21 at halftime.

Head Coach Bridgette Reyes clearly got through to her team in the halftime talk as the visitors came out of the break locked in on defense once again. Saikumar started the quarter with a pair of free throws and but for a two-minute stretch, Oxy did not score another point in the frame as Caltech pulled back within five heading to the fourth quarter.

Caltech carried the momentum through an inspiring next 10 minutes, fending off back-to-back early three-pointers for the Tigers with an 18-point outlay – nine coming from Saikumar, who made it a one-possession game at the 2:13 mark. Oxy knocked down a pair of free throws to nearly ice the game with under two minutes to go, but Saikumar earned another trip to the line with 47 seconds on the clock and calmly sank both attempts. Following a quick Oxy miss, Caltech called a timeout and set up a play that got sophomore Hope Arnett (Torrance, Calif. / Chadwick School) to the line to tie the game. Sophomore Milan Robinson (Anaheim, Calif. / Fairmont Prep) came through in the clutch with a steal to keep Oxy from getting off a shot as the buzzer sounded, forcing overtime.

Saikumar staked Caltech to the initial lead with a jumper one minute in, but Oxy equalized immediately. The Beavers looked to have the momentum and upper hand thanks to a massive swing when Saikumar converted an and-one opportunity, but the Tigers responded by drilling their seventh three-pointer of the game and sank a pair of free throws as Saikumar fouled out on the next possession. A pair of missed shots and a turnover rounded out Caltech's chances as the hosts survived for the win, 61-57.

Reyes and the Beavers will head to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges on Monday for the makeup of the postponed Jan. 5 game.