ORANGE, Calif. – The University of Redlands men's basketball team (5-1, 0-1) began Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play Wednesday evening at Chapman University where they lost their first game of the season by 12, 75-63.

Lucas Gordon got things started with a jumper 35 seconds after the opening tip. A Jake Hlywiak free throw at the 16:34 mark made it 7-6 Bulldogs before the Panthers went on a 13-1 run as they led by 11.

Omari Ferguson, though, got into the paint seven seconds later and started a 10-2 run that brought them within one possession, 21-18. During the run Ferguson had four points and Donovan Ware scored five.

Redlands then erased a six-point deficit, 28-22, over the final four minutes as they scored the final six points to tie the game at 28 at the half. Ferguson had four points and Jhace Boston converted on his two free throws within the final minute.

After a great close to the first half the Bulldogs allowed the Panthers to score the first seven points of the second half. Gordon responded with a quick four points and Chozen Amadi scored off a Cam Brown assist to help Redlands retie the game at 37 with 14:36 still to play.

After that tie, Chapman led by seven before another response made it a two-point game with 10:48 on the clock. The Panthers, however, had the final push, scoring 28 of the final 46 points in route to a 12-point upset win.

Ferguson had a strong game with 18 points. Gordon had 16 points and 16 rebounds. The rest of the team, though, combined for only 29 points on 8-of-41 shooting.

Most notably the Panthers outscored the Bulldogs by 27 points from behind the arc.

Redlands will get just over two weeks before playing two games in Virginia for the Elder & Friedman Holiday Classic on Dec 19 and 20 when they play Roanoke College in a neutral site game and Hampden-Sydney College on the road in a rematch of their sweet 16 game last March.