BOX SCORE
SANTA CLARITA, Calif. --- The Biola University women's basketball team hung close with No. 7-ranked The Master's College but was unable to pull off the upset, falling 58-50 in a Golden State Athletic Conference game Tuesday night in Santa Clarita.
The Eagles, who fall to 5-7 on the season and 1-3 in conference play, were led again by sophomore Megann Alberts, who scored 11 points and pulled down nine rebounds.
The Mustangs (8-2 overall, 3-1 GSAC) had three players score in double figures with Annie Gillespie leading the way with 13 points.
Biola played tough defense in the first half, holding the Mustangs to just 26 percent shooting and forcing 12 turnovers. In that half, the Eagles jumped out to a quick 7-2 lead before The Master's slowly chipped away. With 3:33 left in the period, the Mustangs took a five-point lead on a Jenna Reed jumper. However, junior Heidi Baker scored all seven of her points over a two minute span to help the Eagles go to the half tied at 24.
In the second half, the Mustangs went on a quick 7-0 run to break a 30-30 tie five minutes in. The Master's grew its lead to as many as nine on two separate occasions and hit free throws down the stretch to ward off a late Biola run.
TMC played much better in the final 20 minutes, shooting 40 percent and holding Biola to just 23 percent.
The Eagles received nine points each from their backcourt tandem of Rochelle Rausch and Mandi England.
Biola returns to La Mirada to play a home game for the first time in nearly a month, hosting GSAC foe California Baptist University on Saturday (Jan. 6) at 5:30 p.m. in Chase Gymnasium.
