Box Score BILLINGS, Mont. --- Nine points. No. 14 Biola's resolute defense held No. 20 Central Methodist (M.) to just nine points over the final 14 minutes to turn a 13-point deficit into a one point lead with under a minute to go. But a few key stops from No. 5 seed CMU kept Biola in check down the stretch and led to Biola's heartbreaking 52-49 NAIA DI Women's Basketball Championship first round loss.
 
Seniors Annie Park and Joclyn Kirton led the Eagles' statistical efforts. Park was one of only two double-digit scorers in the game with 12, while Kirton kept her team in the game time and again with clutch rebounds. She finished with a game-high 15 boards.
 
Head Coach Alan Nakamura's squad deserves a ton of credit for overcoming two double figure leads in the middle of the game to make it a nail biting fourth quarter.
 
Central Methodist (Mo.) took advantage of the Eagles' 0-of-7 shooting from three in the first quarter to start the second period with a 16-6 score. After an early layup increased the deficit to 12, Biola went to work. Park's nine and Sara Dougan's five propelled the team's 22-point second quarter and made it just a three-point game at halftime.
 
Biola dominated the glass during that stretch with 10 offensive rebounds and seven second-chance points to end the quarter on an 11-5 run.
 
Coming out of the locker room the No. 5 seed kicked again and scored 12 unanswered points to begin the second half. Biola returned the favor at the beginning of the fourth with seven unanswered to turn a 10 point game into a three-point tug-of-war with 7:42 left.
 
A Tatum Brimley layup tied the game for the first time during the contest at 47-47 and was immediately followed by a Sara Dougan bucket that gave Biola a 49-47 lead with two minutes left.
 
Brimley finished with eight points and four assists with Dougan close in tow at seven points and seven rebounds. Mikayla Greens led the solid effort from the Eagles' replacements with four points and six rebounds.
 
Both teams ratcheted up the defense down the stretch and challenged every driver making their way through the paint. But one additional field goal from Central Methodist (Mo.) guard DaJonee Hale was the difference maker and led the No. 5 seed to the upset first round win.
 
At 23-8, Biola concludes one of the five best seasons in program history. A team that was initially projected to finish fourth in the Golden State Athletic Conference vaulted all the way to a second-place finish in GSAC and a No. 14 ranking after starting the season unranked.
 
In the process, the 2016-17 rendition of Biola Women's basketball finished with the second most wins during one season in program history (23), the best overall winning percentage (.742) and the most wins at home in one season (15).
 
This team also earned Biola first selection to the NAIA National Championships since 2012. The next time Nakamura's squad takes the floor it will be as a part of the NCAA Division II and the PacWest Conference.
 
Congratulations to Park and Kirton on fantastic careers at Biola.