Box Score LA MIRADA, Calif. --- This 2015-16 Biola Women's Basketball team is absolutely set on spoiling everyone's idea of what the Golden State Athletic Conference would look like near the top this season. With a 61-47 win over William Jessup on Tuesday night the Eagles moved to two games over .500 in conference play and pulled within a game and a half of a top-10 team in the conference standings.
 
"Through the numerous close games we have played this year it is exciting to see growth in our poise down the stretch," said Head Coach Alan Nakamura. "When Jessup got the lead down to 5 points with 3 minutes to play, the game could have gone either way. But the team didn't panic. We took care of the ball, hit some big shots, and got some big stops on defense."
 
The 51-49 road loss at William Jessup during the first round of GSAC play was one of six games in Biola's first round of conference play that was determined by three points or fewer. The team was determined to ensure that that was not the script on this evening.
 
"We have a tendency to make the game close at the end, but tonight we showed a lot of composure and we finished the game well," said sophomore guard Danielle Kennedy. "We have improved so much this season. The freshmen have stepped up and we really play like a team."
 
Kennedy was one of the Eagles' stars in this night's 14-point victory. She ended up with a team-high 20 points on a 6-of-15 shooting performance. All six of her made field goals were from beyond the arc as her teammates did a fantastic job of finding the hot hand when she was open. Today was the first time in her career that Kennedy eclipsed 20 points.
 
No one was better at finding the hot hand on this night than Taylor Casey. The senior forward racked up a season-best five assists while also pulling down a season-best 12 rebounds. Casey added to steals and five points to just two fouls in a great all-around performance.
 
Biola grabbed the lead straightaway with an Aubree Mittel three-pointer in the first minute. It would extend the lead and then allow WJU to tie it for the next three possessions before pulling away for good to lead by eight at the first quarter break.
 
A strong defensive second quarter helped the Eagles extend their lead by 10 more points in the second period to go into the halftime break with twice as many points as the visiting Warriors. Kennedy was the key to the outstanding first half as she scored 15 of her 20 in the first 20 minutes.
 
"We moved the ball around well which opened us up for open looks," said Kennedy "Yeah, we have leading scorers and leading rebounders, but what I appreciate about this team is the way everyone is involved; everyone contributes!"
 
The Eagles needed everyone's contributions in the second half as WJU outscored Biola in each of the final two quarters as it tightened the lead. Nakamura mentioned how the Warriors were able to bring the game within five points at the three-minute mark. That happened because of a 13-3 William Jessup run that was finally cut off by a three-point make by none other than Kennedy with 3:12 left to play. That make gave the Eagles a 53-45 lead that they never looked back from.
 
"The GSAC is full of high character players and coaches so there are no easy games, and the game is never over until it's over," said Nakamura. "Jessup is a tough, physical, determined team. They play like a team. This was a well-earned win for us."
 
Kennedy's outstanding effort was supported by her partner in crime, DeMoria White. White scored 15 points and dished the ball out to her teammates with relative ease in gathering four assists. She was 4-for-4 from the free-throw line on a night when Biola was a perfect 12-for-12 as a team from the stripe.
 
Sara Dougan's nine points, and Aubree Mittell and Tina Esbenshade's six highlighted the other top scoring performances from Nakamura's side.
 
The Eagles had just one more rebound than WJU and actually shot one percent worse than the Warriors, but Biola's 11 three-point makes made all the difference in wrapping up this conference win.
 
Biola improves to 13-11 (6-4 GSAC) and William Jessup falls to 13-9 (4-7 GSAC). Biola's got a tough stretch upcoming as it has to face the top three teams in the conference (all nationally ranked) over the next three games. This run begins at No. 8 Vanguard this Saturday night.