California Baptist University
Westminster (UT)
COLD IN SANTA BARBARA
12/30/2010 11:08:00 PM | Women's Basketball
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. --- California Baptist University couldn't overcome a cold second half and a red-hot Allie Eastman Thursday as the 17th-ranked Lancers fell, 80-71, to 11th-ranked Westminster (Utah) in a matchup of NAIA Top 20 teams at the GSAC Challenge hosted by Westmont College.
The Lancers, who led 42-40 at halftime, shot just 30 percent (9-for-30) in the second half, while Eastman scored 24 of her game-high 28 points in the final 20 minutes, going 5-for-6 from beyond the arc. The Lancers committed just 13 turnovers and out-rebounded the Griffins, 40-39, but struggled to put the ball in the basket, finishing the game just 24-for-62 (38.7 percent) from the floor.
It was their first time shooting under 40 percent since shooting at 32.8 percent clip in a 74-60 loss at nationally-ranked Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) Nov. 20.
Dana Olsen and V.V. Vasciunaite combined for 44 points with Olsen scoring a season-high 25 points to go along with nine rebounds in her second game of the season. Vasciunaite added 19 points, but 16 of those came in the first half. She got off just four shots in the second half as the Griffins did a solid job of keeping her from touching the ball.
Brenna Hahn tallied 10 points but was just 3-for-16 from the floor, missing 11 of 14 3-point attempts. She grabbed eight rebounds.
The Lancers led 42-35 with 1:56 to play in the first half when the Griffins used a 11-0 run spanned over both halves to take a 46-42 lead on four straight points by Eastman. Vasciunaite hit her only basket of the second half, a 3-pointer, and Oslen converted two free throws to give the Lancers a 47-46 lead and the first of 10 lead changes over the next 4:47.
Eastman and Hahn hit back-to-back triples and then Westminster's Jenteal Jackson sank two free throws to give the Griffins the lead for good at 60-59 with 10:16 to play. Eastman sandwiched two 3-pointers around a Hahn free throw and the lead was up to six (66-60). Westminster led 69-62 on a 3-point play by Michelle Pace when the Lancers cut it to two (69-67) with a five-point possession after Renetha Burton sank a pair of free throws after getting fouled away from the ball as Hahn drilled a 3-pointer.
That was as close as the Lancers got as Nicole Yazzie and Eastman sank back-to-back treys, the Griffins put the game away with an 11-2 run to take an 80-69 lead with 2:16 remaining.
The Lancers, who are second in the nation shooting 43.1 percent from beyond the arc, shot just 34.6 percent tonight, going 9-for-26.
The loss snaps the Lancers' four-game winning streak as they fall to 10-4. It is their second loss this year to the Griffins as they also lost in Salt Lake City, 65-54, back in early November. The Griffins, who lost last night to Westmont, improve to 13-3.
