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Mikayla Greens driving past defender
George Rodriguez
53
Alas. Fairbanks UAF-WBB 2-1,0-0 Great No
61
Winner Biola University BU-WBB 1-2,0-0 PacWest
Alas. Fairbanks UAF-WBB
2-1,0-0 Great No
53
Final
61
Biola University BU-WBB
1-2,0-0 PacWest
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Alas. Fairbanks UAF-WBB 9 8 17 19 53
Biola University BU-WBB 19 23 4 15 61

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Brandon Taylor, Assistant Sports Information Director

First Half Carries Eagles

Biola Women’s Basketball built a 25-point lead headed into halftime and leaned into that advantage on the way to its first victory.


LA MIRADA, Calif. --- The Biola Eagles will come away from Thursday's game with the expectation that they should play all 40 minutes like they played the first half against Alaska Fairbanks. But the opening two quarters were so good for Head Coach Alan Nakamura's group that it gave Biola all the cushion it needed to earn its first victory of the season, 61-53 over the Nanooks. 

The Eagles flexed their muscles early during their third game in Chase Gym, scoring 12 points in the paint during the first quarter while Danita Estorga outscored the visiting team all by herself (10 points to nine). Estorga would go onto score a game-high 19 points and would be one of two Eagles who finished in double figures (Jazz Benn).

But it was the guards who took over the scoring in the second quarter because Biola found more success forcing turnovers. Jazz Benn scored seven second quarter points while Stephanie Lee and Aysia Johnson added six and five more points, respectively. Those three women, in addition to Estorga and Tatum Brimley, went into halftime with at least five points as the entire team shot 51.7 percent from the field. 

One of the major factors in Biola's 42-17 halftime lead was the Eagles' ability to capitalize on the Nanooks' miscues. Nakamura's squad had a 14-to-0 advantage in points off of turnovers over the first 20 minutes and a 22-to-6 margin in the paint. Biola has now recorded eight steals or more in three-straight games to begin the year after swiping the ball nine times in this contest. And the home team also set a new season-best for free throws made with 14.

The offense slowed dramatically in the third quarter with only four points. But Biola's good work in the first half still allowed the Eagles to carry a 12-point lead into the final 10 minutes. The home team made six of its eight free throw attempts in the final period to stave off an upset and Estorga drained a big three-pointer with 6:46 left in the game to push the lead back up to 13 and put her team back in a comfortable position for the home stretch.

Overall, the Eagles did a great job attending to the defensive glass and rebounding as a team on Thursday. Every member of the starting five had at least two boards, in addition to two players off the bench, and Biola finished the game with 32 defensive rebounds. The aforementioned Aysia Johnson led the team with eight rebounds and had the best stat-stuffing box score of the night. In addition to playing 36 minutes and collecting eight boards, Johnson finished with six assists and seven points. 

Biola will return to Chase Gym for another home game on Saturday. The Eagles host Cal State San Bernardino at 3:30 p.m.

 
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