California Baptist University
Biola
SECOND CHANCE
1/30/2011 4:05:00 AM | Women's Basketball
LA MIRADA, Calif. --- It's a good thing for California Baptist University that a basketball game is 40 minutes long, because if it were just 20, tonight would have been a different story.
After making just six buckets and committing 11 turnovers in the first half, the Lancers trailed 25-17 and seemed headed for what would have been a sure streak-snapping loss and a three-way tie for first place with eight games left.
Instead, the fifth-ranked Lancers opened the second half scoring on the first possession to start a 12-4 run in the first 4:53, tied the game at 29-29, then went on to hold Biola to just 29.2 percent shooting in the second half, get four in double figures and defeat the sixth-ranked Eagles, 56-50, to keep sole possession of first place.
"We got it tied up pretty quickly coming out of the locker room," said CBU Head Coach John Marcum. "The least important thing is the score at halftime. We were better than 17 points, even though Biola is a tremendous defensive team. Scoring on that first possession really got us going.
"This team just finds ways to win."
The win is the Lancers' eight straight and their 11th straight GSAC win. They improve to 18-4 overall, 11-1 GSAC.
The Eagles fall to 17-4, 9-3.
Dana Olsen finished with a game-high 17 points despite playing the final six minutes with four fouls. She had 12 in the second half after scoring just five first-half points before picking up three in 12 minutes.
"When Dana got that fourth foul, I thought that would be tough," said Marcum. "She played smart down the stretch and stayed composed. Playing on the road in this league is tough, but we rebounded and hit free throws down the stretch."
The Lancers were 12-for-13 from the line in the second half after going just 5-for-11 in the first half.
Brenna Hahn added 12 points, while V.V. Vasciunaite and S.J. Simmons finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Simmons and Vasciunaite each had just three points apiece in the
first half and combined for 15 in the second half. All of Simmons' seven
second-half points came in the final 10 minutes, six of them in a 1:29 stretch.
"In big games, your best players have to make plays and ours did tonight," said
Marcum. "This is an unselfish group that likes to share the ball. This wasn't
just one person getting it done tonight. It was an entire team effort."
Once the Lancers tied it up at 29-29, the teams traded points and leads. Four of the game's five ties and three of the seven lead changes came over the course of the next 5:39. The final tie came at 41-41 with 9:28 left on a pair of free throws by Jennifer French.
From there, the Lancers went on a 10-3 run to take their biggest lead and keep it, though it didn't come without work.
With the game tied at 41-41 and the Eagles with possession, Simmons got back-to-back steals and converted them both into layups to give the Lancers a 45-41 lead they wouldn't lose.
"We knew that they were going to go high low to (Jessilyn) Conicelli, and we went with a smaller defender on her," said Simmons. "I knew I'd be able to sneak down and at least got deflections. We knew our offense was struggling in the first half, but we just wanted to stay patient and play through it. For us, it started on the defensive end and then our offense just followed."
Olsen's two free throws with 3:41 left gave the Lancers their largest lead at 51-44.
The Eagles scored consecutive baskets to get back within three, 51-48, with 1:53 left and then had a chance to tie, but Emily Drews missed a 3-pointer and Vasciunaite came away with the rebound. The Lancers called a timeout to set up the possession, but Simmons missed an open layup. Lauren Gustafson made two free throws with 34 seconds left to get the Eagles within 51-50.
Drews fouled Simmons in the backcourt, and Simmons made 1-of-2
from the line with 29 seconds left to make it 52-50. On the ensuing possession,
Drews missed what would have been a game-tying layup, and Vasciunaite answered
with a breakaway layup with 12.7 seconds remaining to put the game away. That
was the Lancers only field goal in the final 4:52.
Conicelli finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds, but had just five points and two rebounds in the second half. Jennifer French led Biola with 14 points.
Renetha Burton led all players with 11 rebounds.
The win not only gives the Lancers the season sweep of the Eagles, but it keeps them in sole possession of first place, one game ahead of No. 7 Azusa Pacific (18-4, 10-2) with eight games remaining. The Cougars come to Chase Gym Tuesday night while the Lancers host Hope International. CBU travels to Azusa Pacific Feb. 8.
"The conference title isn't won with just one game," said Marcum. "We're looking at this as eight conference championship games. Every possession is big, and we're focusing on the process not the end result."
