Whittier, CA - The University of La Verne women's basketball team traveled to Whittier College for their 2022 SCIAC conference season opener.

Whittier College, the defending SCIAC Conference champions were picked to finish ahead of La Verne in the SCIAC pre-season polls. From the opening tip-off, the Leopards controlled the game, scoring quickly on the offensive end and playing stifling defense on the defensive side of the court. La Verne jumped out to an early 11-4 lead and never looked back. The Leopard lead ballooned to over 20 points in the first half, as they entered halftime leading 38-21.

La Verne would continue to hold court in the second half as they limited Whittier to 39% shooting from the field and 11% shooting from behind the three-point line. When the final horn sounded, LA Verne had defeated Whittier in a convincing fashion by the final score of 66-52. Head coach Jason Pruitt was pleased with his team's performance in the SCIAC conference opener. "Tonight was a total team effort. We knew what we were getting ourselves into before we showed up to play. They are the reigning Conference Tournament Champions and they did not forget to remind us that they are one of the teams we are chasing. In order for us to be successful we have to continue to work as a unit united. As we prepare for our upcoming game on Saturday, we just need to play loose and have fun."

Marissa Howell led all scorers with 26 points in the game, knocking down five three-point field goals. Chiara Brown added 16 points and four rebounds. 

Next up; Pomona-Pitzer on the road, Saturday, December 3rd at 2:00 PM.