Box Score SALT LAKE CITY --- Junior
Adijat Adams scored 12 points and sophomore
Amy Freet added 11, but a layup by the University of Montana-Western's Kaci Matthies with 47 seconds left proved to be the difference in a close contest as Biola lost 58-57 in the first game of the Westminster College Classic on Thursday night.
The Eagles, ranked No. 12 in the NAIA Preseason Coaches Poll, fall to 1-1 with the loss while the Bulldogs improve to 3-1 overall.
The game was a back-and forth contest throughout, featuring nine ties and 10 lead changes. Biola led by as many as seven in the first half, but Montana-Western did not hold a lead of more than two.
Adams recorded 12 points and added five rebounds for the Eagles with Freet adding 11 points and six boards. Fellow sophomore Chelsea Hill nearly had a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds, also recording a pair of steals.
Biola broke an early 6-6 tie with a 9-2 run over a four-minute span and took its largest lead of the game at 15-8 on a three-pointer by Aubree Mittel at the 11:33 mark. The Eagles still held a seven-point advantage at 21-14 with 7:09 left, but a quick seven-point run by Montana-Western tied the score at 21-21 with 3:43 to go. The teams ended up heading to the half tied at 26-26.
In the second, Biola jumped out to a five-point lead at 33-28 three minutes in, but back came the Bulldogs, tying the game back up at 35-35 nearly six minutes in. With Montana-Western leading by one at the half-way point, Haley Nickel hit a layup to start a seven-point run capped by a three-pointer from Angel Dorn. The trey gave Biola a 50-44 lead with 7:13 to play.
The Eagles held on to the lead down the stretch until Kassie Kerbs drained a long three-pointer with 3:16 to re-tie the game at 54-54 with 3:16 left on the clock.
Biola answered right back on its next possession as Jamie Elias drained a three to put the Eagles back on top 57-54 with 2:50 to play. The Bulldogs answered back with a bucket by Sammi Bignell on their next possession to make it a 57-56 game with 2:26 on the clock. The Eagles had a tough time converting down the stretch though, missing a three-pointer, a free thrown and then turning the ball over on three-straight possessions. The last one was a questionable charge called against Adams on a bucket she made in the low post with 1:14 left.
However, through it all, Biola still maintained the lead. That was until Kaci Matthies pulled down an offensive rebound and put it high off the glass and in to give Montana-Western a one-point lead with 47 second to play. But the Eagles turned the ball over with 22 seconds left and weren't able to foul until just 10.1 seconds remained on the clock.
The Eagles caught a break as Alecia Wilson missed the front end of a one-and-one and the loose ball went out of bounds of a UMW player. Biola in-bounded the ball from under the Montana-Western basket with 7.6 seconds left and executed the last-second play beautifully. Hill in-bounded to Amy Freet who quickly passed it ahead to Adams. Adams then was able to drive down the court and got off a 12-footer with two seconds left. However, it hit off the rim and bounced out as the horn sounded.
Biola had a tough time defending the paint, being out-scored 34-20 inside. The Eagles did out-rebound the Bulldogs 38-29 and hit six three-pointers to UMW's five. Biola shot 40 percent in the contest while the Bulldogs connected on 46.2 percent overall.
The Eagles close out the tournament with a tough pair of games over the next two days. First up is a game on Friday against tournament host and No. 5-ranked Westminster College at 6:00 p.m. MT (5:00 p.m. PT). Biola then closes out the long trip against No. 15 Lewis-Clark State on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. MT (1:00 pm PT).
