In a hardfought match, Biola took the victory against the Azusa Pacific University Cougars, winning by four points, 55-51. Both teams faced difficulty pulling away with the lead, resulting in a hardfought matchup, with the Eagles edging out the victory by the end of the game. Biola has not won a game against Azusa since 2018—winning for the first time in 11 games due to their offensive and defensive efficiency.
Overall, the Eagles scored 26 points in the paint, as well as capitalized off their defense by making 14 points off turnovers. Only missing on free throw, Biola recorded a 90% free-throw percentage and performed well in transition, scoring 10 fast break points.
CATCHING UP
The Cougars started out with an early lead in the first quarter, but the Eagles came soaring back, with freshman guard Amiah Simmons scoring eight of Biola’s 13 first quarter points. The Eagles went into the second quarter with a three-point deficit. The Eagles faced difficulty scoring in the second quarter, with redshirt freshman guard Laila Walker breaking the silence by scoring a jumper in the paint, three minutes into the second quarter. At the end of the first half, the Eagles trailed the Cougars by four points.
WINNING THE GAME
Redshirt sophomore guard Stephanie Lee kickstarted the third quarter by sinking a 3-pointer in the first possession. Redshirt junior guard Aysia Johnson and Simmons also contributed points in the remainder of the third quarter, resulting in a two-point deficit at the end of the quarter. Redshirt sophomore forward Jordan Rabe sparked the comeback for Biola in the fourth quarter, scoring a lay up, followed by four points from Lee and Simmons and taking the lead. Clutch free-throw shooting sealed the victory for Biola, with Rabe and Johnson scoring two points each in the final minute of the game, resulting in a win, 55-51.
Women’s basketball (15-8 overall, 11-5 conference) will return to the court to face off against Point Loma Nazarene University in Chase Gymnasium on Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m. Footage and stats from the game are located on the Biola Athletics website.
