LA MIRADA, Calif. ---  Biola Women's Basketball had a lot to play for last week. The Eagles host two rivals in Chase Gym with a spot in the top three of the conference standings on the line. And they were motivated to make revenge statements against both opponents while channeling the drive and memory of Kobe Bryant: so much so that the Eagles intentionally chose to finish their win over Point Loma with 81 points. 

But the team knows more than anyone that they need to work to keep that ruthless mentality and drive to win over the next three weeks. Admittedly, there is not as big of a gravity surrounding the Eagles upcoming opponents because four of the next five games are against opponents whose win percentage is under .500. But that shouldn't matter at all to Biola at this point of the year because its winning season - the time where the Eagles need to win the games they are favored in to get the best seeding possible in the PacWest tournament. 

A top two seed in the conference and a bye in the first round is still possible. But even at No. 3 seed would be massive for Head Coach Nakamura's group because, in all likelihood, it would mean Biola faces a team its beaten before this season (Point Loma, Fresno Pacific or Hawaii Hilo). 

Speaking again of the Sea Lions, freshman Stephanie Lee was named PacWest Freshman of the Week for the fifth time this year on the heels of a career-best performance against Point Loma and another good contribution against Azusa Pacific. Lee averaged 17 points per game after scoring 26 in the win over PLNU and shot 7-of-11 from three-point range while recording six assists. The Brea, Califonia-native has now lead the Eagles in scoring in three of the past five games and has excelled alongside other teammates whose own scoring success has opened the floor for Lee to do as she pleases. 

Fellow freshman Madi Chang has set new scoring career-high in each of the past two games and Tatum Brimley has scored a combined 23 points in the second halves of those contests as well. 

MULTIMEDIA: Live video and live stats will be provided free of charge for all Biola home contests. See links and cost for road contests in the previews below.

TICKETS: Biola home events are always free to Biola students, staff, faculty and alumni. Children 12 and under are also always free. General admission is $6 and discounted tickets for opposing school students, guests under 18 and seniors are $4. See ticketing information for road contests below each preview below.

THIS WEEK: at Holy Names (1-16, 1-12 PacWest) - Thursday February 6 at 5:30 p.m.; at Academy of Art (7-11, 5-8 PacWest) - Saturday February 8 at 1 p.m. 

MULTIMEDIA: Live video and live statistics will be available for all games. See the links below for the direct link for each game. Biola offers free live video of all home events at portal.stretchinternet.com/biola.


BIOLA (11-6, 7-4 PacWest) at Holy Names (1-17, 1-13 PacWest) on Thursday February 6 at 5:30 p.m.\\ Live Stats \\ Live Video ($)
The Eagles will head to Oakland on Thursday for their first meeting of the season with Holy Names, who currently holds last place in the PacWest standings. The Hawks averages have resulted in the difficult combination of having the lowest-scoring offense in the conference and the defense that surrenders the most points in the PacWest. But they do have a solid post player in Gernijah Martin, who has filled in for the departure of Onjalise Carley-Hilliard for Point Loma with 11.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Senior Ellie Burland is also a key player for Holy Names: she's the only woman to have started every game for the Hawks and plays the most minutes on the team while recording the most assists (65 in 19 games).

Burland and her teammates will face Biola on the heels of their best scoring effort of the season, having scored over 70 points for the first time this past Monday at Dominican. Seven Hawks scored eight points or more, including four in double digits, in the 90-73 loss and Holy Names made 10 three-pointers as a team. But the Hawks also committed 20 personal fouls in the game against Dominican, so the Eagles may be well served by driving into the key to get Holy Names in foul trouble while creating ample opportunities at the free throw line. 

TICKETS: https://hnuhawks.com/sports/2016/6/16/tickets.aspx


BIOLA (14-7, 10-5 PacWest) at Academy of Art (7-11, 5-8 PacWest) on Saturday February 8 at 5:30 p.m. \\ Live Stats \\ Live Video ($)
After a nice start to conference play, the Urban Knights took a downturn after losing to Biola on January 11. Even after Academy of Art won two of its three games on its Hawaii trip, it finds itself in eighth place in the PacWest, two spots out of a possible berth in the conference tournament. Since losing to Biola, ART U's three point shooting has dropped off a bit with a .281 shooting percentage from beyond the arc. And the Urban Knights only really have two options from that range at the moment in Taylor Bennet (17-for-50) and Josselyn Morris (16-for-59). Pat Wilmore and Lily Perkins take care of the scoring inside with an average of 29.7 points between them, but Perkins has fouled out three of the past six games. ART U has also struggled to close games, having been outscored in the second, third and fourth quarters while surrendering at 44.6 field goal percentage. 

Saturday's game will be played at Kezar Pavilion and general admission to the game is $5 ($2 for youth and senior admission). 

UPCOMING & REACHED MILESTONES:
Jelissa Puckett - 50 games played (45)
Jelissa Puckett - 75 field goals made (76)
Jelissa Puckett - 200 points (211)
Jelissa Puckett - 100 assists (97)
Jelissa Puckett - 150 rebounds (119)
Jelissa Puckett - 1,000 career minutes (944)
Kayla Macedo - 110 games played (105)
Kayla Macedo - 300 points (284)
Kayla Macedo - 50 steals (46)
Kayla Macedo - 150 rebounds (124)
Kayla Macedo - 1,250 career minutes (1080)
Danita Estorga - 50 games played (45)
Danita Estorga - 1,000 career minutes (966)
Danita Estorga - 150 field goals made (144)
Danita Estorga - 75 free throws made (68)
Danita Estorga - 50 three-pointers made (45)
Danita Estorga - 250 rebounds (241)
Danita Estorga - 50 assists (47)
Danita Estorga - 50 steals (46)
Danita Estorga - 400 points (396)
Tatum Brimley - 110 games played (105)
Tatum Brimley - 2,500 career minutes (2,388)
Tatum Brimley - 300 field goals made (289)
Tatum Brimley - 250 free throws made (222)
Tatum Brimley - 150 three-pointers made (111)
Tatum Brimley - 250 assists (230)
Tatum Brimley - 300 rebounds (287)
Tatum Brimley - 900 points (911)
Jazz Benn - 75 games played (75)
Jazz Benn - 300 field goals made (295)
Jazz Benn - 400 rebounds (379)
Jazz Benn - 150 assists (145)
Jazz Benn - 100 steals (93)
Jazz Benn - 150 three-pointers made (108)
Jazz Benn - 1,000 career points (802)
Jazz Benn - 2,500 career minutes (2,372)
Aysia Johnson - 50 games played (47)
Aysia Johnson - 750 career minutes (782)
Aysia Johnson - 150 rebounds (155)
Aysia Johnson - 100 assists (84)
Aysia Johnson - 75 steals (54)
Aysia Johnson - 300 points (227)
Mikayla Greens - 100 games played (101)
Mikayla Greens - 250 field goals made (211)
Mikayla Greens - 500 rebounds (501)
Mikayla Greens - 100 assists (97)
Mikayla Greens - 75 steals (66)
Mikayla Greens - 2,000 career minutes (1,898)