California Baptist University
Westmont
GAME HAHN
1/6/2010 5:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The longest winning streak for the Lancers (10-4, 3-1 GSAC), Bishop had her team firing on all cylinders for the fourth straight game. In the four wins CBU has shot over 45 percent in each game, over 50 percent in the two previous wins before Westmont (10-2, 3-1 GSAC).
"Actually we didn't execute like I wanted to, especially in the first half," said Bishop. "We got it done in the second half though. I now think we have 13 kids on the same page and you finally see on the court what the coaching staff has been teaching on the defensive end. We not only beat a ranked team tonight, but we beat a team with history who is very well coached."
The Lancers shot 45.3 percent (29-64) from the field and were 41.2 percent (7-17) from downtown. Brenna Hahn led the way with a season-high 23 points, just one short of tying a career record. The junior guard was 7-for-12 from the field and 3-for-5 from 3-point range. Hahn scored 15 of those points in the second half. She also notched three assists and five boards.
"We are playing better team basketball right now," said Bishop. "The ladies are starting to see that are getting excited about it. That alone has helped us stay consistent over the last four games. I think the higher percentage shooting can stem directly from our defense. That's allowing us to get in transition and get the ball into the paint easier which increases the shooting percentage."
Kendra Morris and Megan Bradford each scored 11 points while Heather Couzens and Elisha Taylor added 10. Bradford also pulled down five rebounds and dished out five assists. Couzens was just a rebound short of a double-double with nine and Monique Calvello just missed a double-double with eight points and nine boards.
Despite turning the ball over 21 times and just forcing 14 against Westmont, the Lancers were able to hold a team that shot 42.5 percent coming into the game to just 35.3 percent from the field.
After CBU jumped out to a 14-6 lead with 11:22 left in the first half, the Warriors used a 12-4 run to tie it at 18. Each team traded a trey to tie it at 21 before Westmont took its first lead at 24-23 with 4:19 left in the first half. The Warriors took their biggest lead of the game at 26-23 with 3:40 left.
A Hahn three and a Taylor layup gave the lead back to CBU, but a Jessica Case trey gave Westmont the lead for the last time at 29-28 with 1:45 in the half. Taylor hit a pair of free throws to spark a 9-0 to close out the half and gave CBU a 37-29 lead at intermission.
The Lancer jumped out to a 39-29 lead to start the second half, but Westmont cut it to 39-33. That's when CBU broke open the game 10-2 run to go up 49-35 and the lead was never below double digits again.
The win over the Warriors breaks a three-game losing skid to Westmont and sets up a crucial road battle for the Lancers with Concordia, a team that had No. 12 Azusa Pacific on the ropes. Tip off is set for 5:30 p.m. Saturday in Irvine, Calif.
