LA MIRADA, Calif. - For the second consecutive day, Azusa Pacific defeated Biola after erasing a double-digit halftime deficit, earning an 83-76 victory on Saturday afternoon. The win also caps off the Cougars' season sweep of the Eagles, as Azusa Pacific finished the regular season 4-0 against its rivals. Paige Uyehara and Kayla Shaw led the way for the Cougars, with Uyehara finishing with 27 points on 6-for-12 shooting (5-for-9 from three) and 10-for-10 from the charity stripe, while Shaw had 23 points. The duo knocked down huge three-pointers late in the fourth to help lift the Cougars to victory. Kelly Heimburger was also a key performer down the stretch for Azusa Pacific, scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter and blocking what could have been the game-tying shot for the Eagles with 13 seconds remaining. Molly Whitmore had a game-high 11 rebounds, and Alex Lowden dished out a game-high seven assists. Lowden, Shaw and Whitmore also tallied three steals on the defensive end. 

How It Happened: The first quarter was a rather sluggish start for both sides, with each team converting just four field goal attempts. For the Cougars, they were able to negate the poor offensive output by forcing Biola into seven turnovers, which Azusa Pacific converted into six of its 10 first quarter points. Heading into the second, the Eagles were up 12-10. Biola was able to grow its lead over the second quarter, due in large part to a 14-6 run over the final five minutes of the first half which put the Eagles ahead by a 38-28 score entering halftime. While the Cougars had a better offensive quarter in the third (6-for-15 overall from the floor), Biola maintained a double-digit cushion for much of the period. Azusa Pacific cut the lead down to single digits for the first time with 26 seconds left in the third, when Uyehara made two free throws that brought the score to a 56-48 difference. To open the fourth, the Eagles were able to push the lead up to 12 at 62-50 with 7:37 remaining in the ballgame. The Cougars went on a quick 5-0 run to get within seven points at 62-55, but Biola would respond with a 5-0 run of its own to take the lead back to 12 at 67-55 with 5:29 left.  

Turning Point: Biola held a 71-62 advantage with a little over four minutes to play, but that cushion would start to disappear. The Cougars would score seven points unanswered, capped off by a three from Shaw that cut Biola's lead to just one possession at 71-69 with two and a half to play. On the Eagles' ensuing possession, Danita Estorga was able to draw a foul and take a trip to the line, where she hit one of her attempts to make it 72-69. Less than 10 seconds later, Uyehara hit a three to tie the game. The Eagles took the lead back with a pair of free throws at the 1:44 mark, but Uyehara struck once again from distance on the Cougars' next trip down the floor, giving Azusa Pacific a 75-74 advantage with 1:33 on the clock. The lead was the Cougars' first since the first quarter. The Eagles were able to jump back ahead briefly at 76-75 on two made free throws with 30 seconds left, but Azusa Pacific took the lead for good on a pair of free throws by Whitmore on the Cougars' next possession. The Cougars put the game away with a perfect 6-for-6 performance at the charity stripe over the remaining 25 seconds of the game.  

By the Numbers: The Cougars forced Biola into 20 turnovers, scoring 19 points off of those opportunities. Particularly late in the game, it was Azusa Pacific's full court pressure that allowed the Cougars to get back into the game with five steals down the stretch. While the Eagles shot a higher percentage (41%) than the Cougars (34%), Azusa Pacific was much better at the free throw line. The Cougars finished 28-for-32 (88%) from the stripe, compared to an 18-for-28 (64%) performance by Biola.