Calm In The Storm
ST GEORGE, Utah --- Coming off possibly its biggest loss of the season, California Baptist University needed possibly its biggest win of the season in a huge way.
CBU got it and then some, getting the best performance of Simone Holmes CBU career to defeat first place Dixie State 76-68 on the Red Storm's home floor.
Holmes dropped a career high 25 points and was one of four Lancers in double figures as CBU evened the loss column atop the conference standings, with DSC, CBU, Grand Canyon and Academy of Art all having three PacWest losses.
"Simone was awesome tonight when we really needed a win," said Head Coach John Marcum. "She's one of the best athletes on the floor night in and night out and her skills showed in this game. She was tough and aggressive. Really the whole team did a great job in key spots, picking each other up and making the smart plays. This was an excellent win for this group going forward."
After a tough loss at home to GCU last time out, the Lancers were helped out by Art U going into Phoenix and beating the Lopes Monday night. Tuesday night the Lancers helped themselves in a big way.
CBU led nearly the entire first half and with 2:17 to play in the first period, the Lancers went ahead by their biggest margin of the game at 34-22. Playing in from of their home crowd, however, DSC made a charge scoring 10 straight points to close the half and go into the break down by two. Back-to-back threes by Gabriella Rodriguez and Sheila Adams sparked the run for the Red Storm.
Out of the break DSC continued its push, finally going up by three just over six minutes into the half.
The teams traded the lead back and forth until Brittney Lewis and Jasmine Beverly scored consecutive buckets to put the Lancers ahead 55-51. CBU would hold a less than comfortable lead the rest of the way.
Rodriguez again hit a big 3-pointer to give her team life, as she and Adams fired away from behind the arc late in the game. Lewis again answered with a lay-in and Alexis Johnson cleaned up her own mess for two points, putting the Lancers up six with less than a minute to go.
The Lancers hit all four of their free throws in the final minute, getting two from Holmes and two from Myriah Hicks to seal the deal.
"Being calm and collected under pressure is just something these players have in them, you can't always teach that," said Marcum. "The free throw shooting was huge throughout the game for us."
CBU hit 28-of-35 foul shots on the night, getting to the line 21 more times than their opponents.
Neither team shot decidedly better than the other, with CBU averaging 36.5 percent and DSC averaging 37.1 percent from the floor, but the 80 percent at the line was the difference for the Lancers, along with timely defense and runs.
"We answered every one of their runs," said Marcum. "When we needed to turn the intensity up we did and when we needed shots we got them."
The game featured six ties and 14 lead changes.
Hicks scored 13 points for the Lancers, getting nine of them at the free throw line, and Lewis and Nicole Anderson each added 10 points. Johnson and Beverly led the team with 10 rebounds. Johnson was a point away from a double-double, scoring nine.
Adams led the way for the Red Storm with 17 points and Rodriguez scored 11.
The win moves CBU to 17-4 overall, 10-3 PacWest. DSC falls to 16-6, 11-3.
The two teams will be at it again on Saturday as the Red Storm head to Riverside for what will be homecoming night for the Lancers. Tip-off is at 5:30 p.m. (PST).
