Box Score LA MIRADA, Calif. --- It was not a win. It was not a close, overtime game. It was not event a close, tense last five minute game, but it was a whole lot better that the 50-point blowout the last time Biola and No. 1 Vanguard met.
 
The Lions came to Chase Gym and walked away with their eighth straight Golden State Athletic Conference victory to open the 2014 campaign. The No. 1 Vanguard bunch continues its unbeaten overall campaign as it improves to 19-0 after the 76-53 win over the Eagles on Saturday night.
 
"We played a strong first half against the No. 1 team in the country," said Head Coach Dr. Bethany Miller. "In the second half though, we did not do what we needed to do. We shot five of 25 from three, which is not going to be enough to get the job done against the No. 1 team in the country."
 
Biola surprised the Lions' coaching staff with a very competitive first half. The Eagles trailed by just three heading into halftime, a staunch difference from the 44-13 halftime deficit they faced when these two teams met earlier in the season.
 
"I am really proud of the girls, they worked hard and are continuing to show a lot of improvement," said Miller.
 
Adijat Adams and Aubree Mittel got together to provide the first-half spark for the Eagles as they hung tight against the top team in the NAIA. Both women put eight points on the board and were among the most accurate shooters on the court in the first half.
 
Some strong defense helped Biola hold the Lions to just 31 points in the first half, off of a 31 percent shooting performance. It was very uncharacteristic for a team that currently averages about 46 percent from the floor, best in the GSAC.
 
Taylor Belmont and Ashleigh Anderson took over the game as Vanguard built its sizable lead in the second half. The two upperclassmen guards combined for a very important 22 points as the Lions outscored the Eagles by 20 in the frame.
 
Adams got yet another double-double with a 17 point/12 rebound performance, and Mittel scored 11 to be the only other Eagle in double-digits.
 
Biola falls to 8-16 (3-5 GSAC) after conceding just their third loss at home since Dec. 10.
 
They travel to San Diego Christian next for a Tuesday night matchup with the Hawks.