Box Score AZUSA, Calif. --- For years it was one of the most bitter rivalries in southern California athletics, and now, even though Azusa Pacific has jumped up to the NCAA Division II, APU and Biola women's basketball still makes a point to keep the rivalry alive.
 
The Eagles hit the road to Felix Event Center to take on the Cougars in an early season matchup of two competitive squads. The Cougars finished 16-11 in the NCAA last season, and the Eagles are receiving votes and ranked just outside the NAIA top 25 this year.
 
The two teams matched each other point for point in the first half, keyed by a big comeback run by the Eagles after they fell behind 20-10 early in the first 20 minutes. Biola rattled off nine straight points to bring themselves back within one of the Cougars.
 
Eight of those nine points came from Adijat Adams and Chelsea Hill, who once again starred for the now 0-3 Eagles.

Adams scored 13 points and also tacked on 12 rebounds to put up her second double-double in the first three games of the year. Hill continues to rebound from a difficult opening game, as she led BU with 14 points on the night.
 
After the run, Biola continued to keep pace with APU, heading into halftime trailing by just five points, and holding the lead twice in the half.
 
The Cougars came screaming out of the locker room with an 18-2 run that buried any chance of a comeback for Biola. They used pinpoint accuracy to create the run, missing only six shots while sinking those buckets.
 
Both squads relied heavily on a squad of five players as each team had five individuals with 20 or more minutes played.
 
It was the opening period run that gave APU the advantage in the game, as no other statistical category showed much difference on either side between the first and second frames.
 
Rebounding was an area of weakness for the Eagles as they lost the battle on the boards 36-28 and gave up 15 offensive rebounds to the Cougars.
 
Sendy Valles and Kelly Hardeman both had over 20 points for APU in over 70 combined minutes on the hardwood. APU used its huge second half where they outscored BU 51-36, to drop the Eagles by a final score of 90-70.
 
Biola next hits the court this Friday night at 7:30 p.m. when they have their home opener at Chase Gymnasium against Cal Maritime.