box score
LA MIRADA, Calif. – The Sea Lions lost a 10-point, second half lead and eventually the game to Biola Saturday night 64-56. The Eagles closed out the game on a 34-15 run to earn the win.
The loss ends Point Loma Nazarene's three-game win streak and drops the team to 16-9, 7-7 in the GSAC. The Eagles improved to 15-9, 7-7 conference. The two squads now sit in a three-way tie for third along with San Diego Christian.
"We did some good things and had some nice runs," said PLNU Coach Bill Westphal. "But in the end we couldn't sustain it. Hats off to Biola; they played well and got it done."
The game saw three ties early on until 3-pointers from Brianna Colon and Kiley Berlinkski gave PLNU an 18-12 advantage at 9:01 in the first. Biola closed to within two but the Sea Lions reclaimed momentum and the lead which – after a combined three minute scoring drought – grew to eight points on a Joelle Herron layup with 46 seconds remaining.
Amy Freet made a jumper for BU to make the score 25-19 entering the break.
The Sea Lions came out of the break with the next two points followed by a mini Biola run closed the gap to just three points with five minutes into the period, 29-26.
Scoring slowed to a crawl for the next few minutes though the Sea Lions would go up by 10 after a pair of Colon free throws.
Point Loma was holding a 10-point lead midway into the half and was still ahead by eight at 6:24. A three by Lauren Gustafson and a jumper by Adijat Adams on the next two Biola possessions shrunk the Sea Lion lead to just three.
Nyla Bailey made two free throws to stop the bleeding but another Gustafson trey and another Adams bucket evened the score at 48-48 at 3:18.
A BU free throw saw the home team go past the Sea Lions for the first time since early in the first half. Adams sank another bucket but most of the scoring from both teams over the final few minutes came at the stripe.
The Eagles eventually led by 11 and won by nine, avenging the 54-31 loss that the Sea Lions handed them earlier in the year.
Adams picked up her fourth double-double of the season with a 16-point, 11-rebound performance before fouling out late in the contest. Three other Eagles scored in double-digits: Charrise Reese with 13, Gustafson with 12 and Chelsea Hill with 10.
Colon led all scorers with 19 points for PLNU. Bailey added 16 points with Crissa Jackson contributing 10 points.
Both teams struggled to make shots, each side shooting 32 percent.
PLNU will be on the road on at Azusa Pacific on Tuesday for a 5:30 pm game.
