Box Score SANTA BARBARA, Calif. --- Playing without its leading scorer and against one of the top teams in the NAIA this season, Biola fell short in its upset bid, falling 84-56 to No. 5 Westmont College in the GSAC Tournament Semifinals on Friday night at the Murchison Gymnasium.
The Eagles had their seven-game losing streak snapped and fall to 21-10 with the loss. It was just their second loss in the last 11 games with both losses coming at Westmont. The Warriors improve to 28-3 and will host Azusa Pacific University in the GSAC Championship game on Monday. The Cougars--the No. 2 seed in the tournament field--defeated No. 3 seed Vanguard 73-66 in the other semifinal on Friday.
Biola still has a good chance of earning an at-large berth to the NAIA Tournament, sitting just outside of the NAIA Top 25 poll which was released on Monday. The 32-team field will be announced on Wednesday.
Biola was without leading scorer and rebounder Adijat Adams on Friday night after the sophomore was forced to sit out a game after being ejected in the final minute of Wednesday's victory over San Diego Christian College.
Without Adams' inside presence, the Eagles needed help from their freshmen post players and received a big boost from freshman Chelsea Hill. Hill scored a game-high 21 points and added six rebounds, two assists, a steal and a blocked shot in 27 minutes of play. Lauren Gustafson provided help on the outside, scoring 13 points and recording four steals.
But the game came down to shooting percentages and Westmont hit 53.4% of its shots including 60% in the first half while the Eagles connected on just 34.4% overall. Biola was able to hit just one three-pointer while the Warriors drained eight from beyond the arc.
The game got off to a rough start with Westmont hitting its first three-pointer of the night just 26 seconds in. Biola stuck close through the first five minutes and trailed by just one at 10-9 four minutes in. But the Warriors used a 14-0 run over the next three minutes to break the game open early and take a 24-9 lead at the 11:03 mark.
The lead would stretch to as many 20 points in the first half, but Biola used a 14-4 run which spanned the half to cut the lead to 10 at 36-26 with 19:19 to go.
Still trailing by 11 five minutes later, the Eagles slowly watch as Westmont used another 10-point run to to break the game open. Biola was unable to get any closer than 17 the rest of the way.
Tugce Canitez and Katie Kittle each scored 20 points for the Warriors with Aubrey Lincoln adding 15.
