Box Score LA MIRADA, Calif. --- It may have just come into its No. 1 national ranking earlier in the afternoon, but the visiting Westmont Warriors looked every bit deserving of the recognition as the top team in the country as it worked past Biola in the return to Golden State Athletic Conference play on Tuesday night.
 
Biola dropped its fifth game in the last six outings as it fell to the Warriors, 40-62. The Eagles remained competitive throughout the 40 minutes despite a very rough second quarter allowing Westmont to take the wheel with a huge halftime lead.
 
The Warriors outscored Biola 21-7 in the second quarter as it worked its way toward the 20-plus point lead that it would hold for the rest of the game.
 
"I appreciate the way our team competed throughout the game," said Head Coach Alan Nakamura. "Whether it's a tie game or a 20-point game, we want to compete every possession and that's what we did. Two areas we never have to second-guess with this team are their heart and unity. They are a blessing and there are bright days ahead for us."
 
A picture of that heart and unity is the strong fourth quarter where Biola actually outscored the Warriors 16-15. A free throw by Makayla Lancaster, one of Biola's five freshmen, sealed the one-point advantage in the fourth-quarter to help lift the team's head as it moves forward in its schedule.
 
Westmont earned the win tonight by shooting 46 percent from the floor, scoring 19 points off Biola's 21 turnovers and outrebounding the Eagles mightily in the first half. They had three players reach double-digits, led by Aysia Shellmire's 17. The junior forward had a fantastic night with nine rebounds and an 8-for-13 field goal performance.
 
Biola's leading scorer was DeMoria White. White was the only Eagle in double-digits as she finished with 12. The Eagles shot 38 percent but were just 20 percent from beyond the arc, which was one of the keys to the game.
 
Emma Newman had a strong scoring output despite not having any rebounds. She was 3-for-6 with six total points.
 
"It was a good challenge for us to play the No. 1 team in the NAIA," said Nakamura. "Westmont earned that spot, and it was good for us to see what it will take for us to play at their level."
 
Biola falls to 9-8 (2-1 GSAC), while the No. 1 Warriors move to 13-1 (3-0 GSAC). The Eagles are back in action this Saturday night at The Master's College.