LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Michelle Naito-Lo couldn't miss, Tiffany Kho was solid all game at point guard and the Occidental College women's basketball team got hot from the outside in a 74-62 win over Spalding in its first game, on the second day of the D3hoops.com Classic in Las Vegas.
The Tigers improve to 6-3. Spalding falls to 1-6.
Oxy made 10 threes, with Naito-Lo leading the way with five of them for a game-high 27 points. She also was 11 of 12 from the free throw line.
"We were able to get good looks at the basket and we shot the ball very well, especially in the first half," Oxy head coach Anahit Aladzhanyan said. "Michelle is our leader and she showed how good she can be today. When she plays like that, we are tough to beat."
Kho scored nine points and had seven assists in 32 minutes, controlling the game offensively and defensively. Brittany Walker added nine points and grabbed 14 rebounds despite missing time in each half with foul trouble.
Jessica Guy led Spalding with 24 points and 14 rebounds and Kerstin Hayes had 19 points.
Oxy's Stefanie Young scored nine points on 3 for 6 shooting from beyond the arc, two of them in the first half. As a team, the Tigers hit six 3-pointers and forced 12 turnovers to jump out to a 34-18 halftime lead.
In the second half, Spalding cut Oxy's lead to seven points with 10 minutes remaining. But Naito-Lo quickly helped the Tigers push their lead back to double digits by drawing fouls and getting to the free throw line.
Two-sport standout Alyssa Mort made her first appearance of the season for the Tigers. Mort, a four-year starter for the women's volleyball team, scored seven points and had three rebounds in 15 minutes.
"It's great to get Mort back," Aladzhanyan said. "She gives us another athletic body and added depth inside."
Oxy plays its second game of the D3hoops.com Classic on Sunday at 10 a.m. against Southwestern (Tex.).
Follow Occidental Athletics on Twitter @OxyAthletics
Like us on Facebook.