LA MIRADA, Calif. -- Azusa Pacific dominated Saturday's Cornerstone Cup matchup, in an impressive 81-55 road win over Biola to remain unbeaten through five PacWest games this year.
Rachel Bozlee led all scorers with a season-high 20 points, coming off the bench to hit six three-pointers including four during a 30-10 third-quarter outburst that put the game away early.
Bozlee was one of five players to score in double figures for Azusa Pacific, whose defensive performance forced 27 Biola turnovers and resulted in 21 steals, which is the fifth-highest total in a Division II women's basketball game this season. The Cougars were in control from the outset, jumping out to a 23-9 lead after the opening quarter and leading by as many as 39 points before settling for the 26-point win.
How It Happened: Azusa Pacific scored in the opening minute and raced to a double-digit lead in the opening five minutes of the game.
Zoe March hit three first-quarter three-pointers, all in a 17-3 run in the first six minutes of the contest. The closest Biola got the rest of the way was seven points, midway through the second quarter, but the Cougars went on a 6-0 run over the final 4:30 of the first half and rode the momentum into a 30-10 third quarter which extended the lead to 64-31 heading into the fourth quarter.
Turning Point: Biola pulled within seven, 28-21, when Jazz Benn converted a three-point play with 4:32 left in the second quarter, but Azusa Pacific's defense produced four turnovers in the final four minutes of the half and limited the Eagles to just one shot, a missed three-pointer, during that stretch. Biola also went 0-for-4 on free throws, allowing the Cougars to build a 34-21 halftime lead. Azusa Pacific got six more steals to force Biola into eight turnovers in the third quarter, and Bozlee drilled four three-pointers in the final 4:30 of the frame to spark an 18-5 run.
Azusa Pacific Standouts: Bozlee finished with a game-high 20 points, and
Daylee Hanson was one rebound away from a double-double as she finished with 13 points, nine rebounds, and a game-high five steals.
Savanna Hanson added 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while March and
Cierra Roufosse scored 11 points each.
Biola Standouts: Benn registered team-highs of 10 points and five rebounds. The Eagle reserves narrowly outscored Azusa Pacific's bench, 28-27, as Danita Estorga added nine points while Sara Dougan finished with seven.
By The Numbers: Azusa Pacific finished with a 27-11 edge in points off turnovers, registering 21 steals on 27 Biola turnovers in the game… The Cougars finished with a 44-36 rebounding margin, which led to a 24-12 advantage in second chance points… Azusa Pacific shot 39 percent for the game, making 28-of-72 attempts, producing its best 10-minute stretch with a 30-point third quarter as the Cougars hit 53 percent (9-for-17) from the field and 63 percent (5-for-8) from three-point range in the first 10 minutes after halftime… Biola also finished at 39 percent (17-for-44) shooting for the game, although the Eagles were limited to just 3-for-20 (15 percent) shooting from beyond the three-point line.
Quotable: "This was our best effort so far this year. Our intensity on offense and defense was everything we wanted it to be. Each player on the floor did everything they could to bring success for the team." -- Head coach
T.J. Hardeman
Up Next: Azusa Pacific's 14-game PacWest winning streak, which dates back to last season, is tested again with a two-game Bay Area road trip to wrap up the calendar year. The Cougars visit Dominican, which will be the site of the 2019 PacWest Posteason Tournament, on Monday, Dec. 17, at 5:30 p.m., before wrapping up the brief trip with a Wednesday, Dec. 19 contest at Academy of Art.
Cornerstone Cup Update: The Cornerstone Cup rivalry series presented by West Coast Sand & Gravel tracks head-to-head rivalry competition between Azusa Pacific and Biola throughout the year, and Azusa Pacific wrapped up the fall sports season with a 30-20 lead.
Victories in women's basketball and men's basketball Saturday night produced five points each towards the Cornerstone Cup standings, as both programs secured at least a split of the regular-season series. The teams will meet again on Saturday, Jan. 19, at the Felix Event Center.
