Box Score FULLERTON, Calif. ---
Adijat Adams scored 14 points and added 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season with
Emily Drews contributing 14 points and eight boards as Biola downed Hope International 69-57 in a GSAC game at Darling Pavilion on Saturday night.
The Eagles pick up their fourth-straight win and sixth in their last seven games as they improve to 18-9 on the season. Biola also moves into sole possession of fourth-place in the conference with a 9-7 record after San Diego Christian lost at home on Saturday night. The Royals fall to 4-24 and to 1-15 in the GSAC.
Biola absolutely controlled the interior, out-rebounding Hope 55-27 and holding a 36-8 edge in points in the paint. Adams led that charge along with freshman Chelsea Hill, who scored 13 points and added two steals and two assists.
Hope jumped out to an early lead in the game as the Eagles struggled early. The Royals erased a 5-0 deficit with an 11-1 run to take an 11-6 lead just under seven minutes into the contest.
Biola responded with a run of its own, outscoring Hope 16-0 over the next six minutes to take a 22-11 lead with 7:32 left. The Eagles would maintain it double-digit lead much of the rest of the period and took a 35-21 lead to the break.
In the second half, the Eagles quickly opened up a 21-point lead, going over the 20-point mark on a possession which lasted just 22 seconds but featured five offensive rebounds, two made and two missed free throws and finally a layup by Freet to cap it all.
Hope used a 10-point run over a five-minute stretch to close to within 11 at 47-36 with 11:48 to go. But Biola quickly stretched the lead back to 18 and eventually too its largest lead of the contest of 22 at 65-43 with 5:28. The Royals would slowly chip away the rest of the way, but could get no closer than the final spread of 12.
Biola shot 42.2% in the game which helped offset a tough free-throw shooting night of just 59.1% from the line. The Royals connected on 33% of their shots.
The Eagles close out the regular season at home, hosting a pair of tough contests next week. First up is the biggest as Biola faces San Diego Christian College in a GSAC showdown for fourth and fifth place in the conference standings.
The two teams are likely to face each other in that first-round game with home court on the line. If the Eagles win Tuesday's game, they will lock up fourth place and secure a home game in the first-round of the GSAC Tournament. If the Hawks win, the teams would be tied with SDCC holding the tiebreaker by virtue of sweeping the season series.
Biola wraps up the regular season on Saturday, hosting The Master's College on Senior Night. Both Tuesday and Saturday's home games tip at 5:30 p.m.
