Women’s basketball runs out of gas late, suffers second straight loss

Eagles stay close, but falter down the stretch in loss to Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Austin Green, Managing Editor

Women’s basketball competed at the “Torodome” for the second consecutive night Saturday, this time taking on California State University Dominguez Hills. The Eagles led at halftime and stayed close with the Toros through the third quarter, but a poor final period doomed Biola as they dropped another game 74-65 to fall to 0-2 on the season.

Junior forward Mikayla Greens turned in a monster performance, with 24 points and 12 rebounds to lead her team in both categories. Transfer junior guard Jelissa Puckett, playing the sixth woman role off the bench, was the only other double-digit scorer for the Eagles with 11 points.

Greens and Puckett got the Eagles started with eight points combined, and junior guard Brenna Khaw added two 3-pointers to help give her team a 17-16 lead. Dominguez Hills closed the quarter on a 6-0 run, however, to take a 23-17 advantage.

The Eagles responded by shutting down their opponents in the second period, holding them to just 7 points. Meanwhile, Biola scored 19 led by sophomore forward Jazz Benn’s personal 5-0 run to grab a 36-30 lead at halftime.

Greens started the third quarter on fire, scoring the Eagles’ first seven points. However, it all started to fall apart for Biola as Dominguez Hills roared back with a 12-0 run to turn a 43-37 deficit into a 49-43 lead.

That proved as close as the Eagles would get to a victory, as Dominguez Hills never let them gain momentum throughout the fourth quarter.

Greens was Biola’s only consistent source of offense in the second half, scoring 18 of the Eagles’ 29 points. Her team shot an abysmal 35 percent from the field and 18 percent from deep in the second half after shooting well above 50 percent in both categories over the first two quarters.

Head coach Alan Nakamura’s squad is still searching for their first win of the season, and they will get their next chance during their home opener Thursday at 5:30 p.m. against Tarleton State in Chase Gymnasium.

Sports Editor Joel Ashor contributed to this story.

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