Cal Lutheran Streak Ended by Chapman

Senior guard Sig Lo made two free throws with two seconds remaining in overtime to give Chapman College a 98-96 upset Tuesday night over sixth-ranked Cal Lutheran in a nonconference women’s basketball game.

Chapman (13-8) snapped the Regals’ 23-game winning streak, which extended over two seasons.

“I couldn’t even look,” Chapman Coach Mary Hegarty said of Lo’s free throws.

With the way the game had gone, who could blame her? The Panthers had seemed to sew up the outcome in regulation, but Cal Lutheran (21-1) managed to tie the score on Evi Orologas’ free throw with seven seconds to play.

“They have a very good team,” Hegarty said, “and they’re able to score a chunk of points quickly.”

Even so, the situation looked especially bleak for the Regals after a run of quick steals and fast-break points by the Panthers extended their lead to seven with four minutes to play.

The lead got as large as nine before Cal Lutheran came storming back behind a trapping defense and a return to the inside game that had carried them through the winning streak.

The 6-foot-1 Orologas and 6-foot Kelli McCaskill were virtually shut down by the Panthers for much of the game. This, despite the fact that no Chapman player stands taller than 5-10.

In the second half, Chapman shut down the Regals’ outside game and forced Cal Lutheran back inside, where a number of key players--including Orologas and McCaskill--were in foul trouble.

McCaskill finished with 27 points and Melissa Wood added 24 for Cal Lutheran.