Box Score RIVERSIDE, Calif. ---
Adijat Adams scored 18 points and added 14 rebounds while
Amy Freet added a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double to lead Biola to a 55-49 win over La Sierra University in a non-conference game on Thursday night at LSU Alumni Pavilion in Riverside.
The Eagles improve to 13-14 with the victory while ending the Golden Eagles' season at 12-14.
Adams had 10 of her game-high 14 rebounds on the offensive glass, adding three blocked shots. Freet had an even split of five rebounds on either end, adding an assist of the Eagles.
La Sierra proved to be a tough team for Biola to beat as the Golden Eagles were playing in their season-finale and celebrating senior night to boot. Neither team was able to build too big of a lead through much of the game.
In the first half, La Sierra used an 8-0 run to take a 23-17 lead with 5:42 to go in the period. Biola was able to hit a pair of three-pointers down the stretch to cut into the lead, but still trailed the Golden Eagles 30-27 at the break.
A seven-point swing over a minute span in the second half turned a 34-30 LSU lead into a two-point Biola lead as Adams hit two free throws, Becca Devere drained a three and Chelsea Hill followed shortly thereafter with a bucket. One minute later, Adams hit a layup to stretch the lead to four.
La Sierra stormed back with a three-pointer and a two-point basket by Natalia Hawthorne--part of her game-high 22 points on the night--to take the lead back at 39-38 with 9:38 to go. But Biola scored seven-straight points while holding the Golden Eagles quiet over the next three minutes to build the lead back up to six. La Sierra would make a final push and tied the game at 47-47 on a pair of free throws by Hawthorne with 2:47 left.
But Biola responded as Adams scored on a layup on the next possession to get the lead back with 2:22. After the Golden Eagles missed a three-point attempt on the other end, Adams was fouled and missed the front end of the bonus free throw. But Chelsea Hill collected the rebound and the Eagles got a second-chance bucket by Adams with 1:08 left to seal the deal.
Biola shot just 28 percent in the game including hitting only 8-of-31 shots in the second half, but made up for it by going 11-of-17 from the free throw line over the final 20 minutes. The Eagles' defense also held La Sierra to just 25.9 percent shooting (7-of-27) in the second half.
Biola returns to GSAC play on Saturday, hosting Concordia University in a key conference showdown beginning at 5:30 pm in Chase Gymnasium.
