AZUSA, Calif. - Cara Liggins scored 27 points for the Point Loma women's basketball team in the first round of the PacWest Championships, but the Sea Lions were unable to hold off a late run by No. 5 seed Biola and fell 78-76. (Mar. 5)
 
Liggins was the best player on the court all night as she went 8-of-15 from the field, including 6-of-10 from 3-point range and 5-of-6 from the free throw line. She added a game-high nine rebounds.
 
Liggins was hot from the tip as she scored 16 points in the first half to help PLNU and Biola stand tied 40-40 at halftime. At the end of the third quarter, Point Loma led 58-56 and they pushed their lead to eight points (73-65) with 3:57 remaining. A couple of 3-pointers by the Eagles followed by a free throw from Carley-Hilliard kept PLNU up three (76-73) with under two minutes left.
 
Biola tied the game at 76-76 on an and-1 layup by Aysia Johnson with 1:25 remaining. Following a defensive stop by each team, Alix Henderson grabbed a defensive rebound but was tripped on her way down and was called for the travel, giving Biola back the ball with 33 seconds left. The Eagles initiated offense with 12 seconds and Tatum Brimley was able to get to the left block. She waited patiently, and as the Sea Lions' defense closed out of the other players, Brimley pivoted and banked a shot off the backboard for the go-ahead basket.
 
Point Loma had a chance to tie the game after getting the ball back with 7.5 seconds left. They tried to get the ball into Carley-Hilliard but the ball was batted out of bounds leaving PLNU with 1.4 seconds. The Sea Lions would go for the win this time as they found Liggins on the wing for a 3-pointer but her shot fell short and the Sea Lions' season ended.
 
Carley-Hilliard finished with 11 points and five rebounds. She made just one field goal but was 9-of-12 from the free throw line. Haylee Saurette came off the bench to hit three 3-pointers and score 15 points. Alix Henderson added a career-high eight assists and eight rebounds, to go along with seven points.
 
Stephanie Lee led four Eagles in double-figures with 16 points. Biola knocked down 17-of-41 3-point attempts in the game to outscore PLNU by 15 points from behind the arc.
 
Team Records
Point Loma (18-11, 14-8 PacWest), Biola (19-10, 14-8 PacWest)
 
Turning Point
After Point Loma went up eight (73-65) with 3:57 left, Biola outscored the Sea Lions 13-3 the rest of the game. PLNU was 0-for-3 from the field with three turnovers during this stretch.
 
Words from coach Lisa Faulkner and the student-athletes

 
News and Notes
> The teams combined for 29 made 3-pointers (previous season-high was 27 vs. Hawaii Pacific)
> Biola had just seven turnovers compared to 14 for PLNU
> Liggins scored in double-figures in 16 of the last 17 games
> The six 3-pointers for Liggins are a career-high
> The Eagles outscored Point Loma 28-12 on points off turnovers
> Stephanie Lee also led Biola in scoring during their win over PLNU earlier this season
> The all-time series between the teams is now tied at 37-37
> Neither team led by double-digits in the entire game
> The game featured six ties and 12 lead changes
> Both teams shot 41 percent from the field
 
Next Game
This ends the 2019-20 season for the Sea Lions.