HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's basketball team came just short of pulling off one of the biggest upsets of the Pacific West Conference this season.
The final three minutes proved to be the Silveswords' undoing in their 65-53 loss to Biola on Monday at McCabe Gymnasium. Chaminade was outscored 10-0 during the stretch, dropping them to 1-16 overall and 1-10 in the PacWest.
Sasha Phillip (Hau'ula, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Hawai'i Baptist) scored a career-high 14 points in defeat as did
Emma Morris (Tuscon, Ariz./Tanque Verde), who returned after a three-game absence due to an injury.
Paige Relph (Las Vegas/Waianae, Hawai'i) added 10 points.
Morris contributed with eight rebounds while Phillip and
Lile Hina Oyama (Honolulu/Kalani) each pulled down six boards with the latter supplying four assists.
Laila Walker had 14 points for the Eagles who improved to 9-9 overall and 7-3 in the PacWest.
Both team got off to a frigid start, combining for nine missed shots and six turnovers before
Selena Buttery (Brockway, Pa./Brockway) knocked down a 3-pointer for the game's first points after three minutes had elapsed.
The Eagles led, 14-10, after the first quarter and eventually took a 15-8 lead 30 seconds into the second. But Phillip and Relph each had four points in Chaminade's 10-2 run which gave them their first lead since early in the first at 18-17 after a layup from Phillip.
Both teams exchanged leads with
Taeya Blakeney (Honolulu/Kaiser) giving the 'Swords a 27-26 lead after two free throws. But Walker converted a three-point play just before halftime to put Biola up, 29-27, at halftime.
On its opening possession of the second half, the 'Swords got three points on a free throw after an administrative technical foul against the Eagles was called just prior to the start of the second half, followed by a Phillip jumper, putting Chaminade up, 30-29. After Biola retook the lead and led by as many as eight, the 'Swords scored the next seven, five from Morris, to pull within 38-37 late in the third quarter.
In the final quarter, Biola built its advantage to 51-49 with 7:01 left but Chaminade responded with an 11-4 run over the next four minutes, capped by a layup from
Mary-Lee Mitchell (Staten Island, N.Y./Curtis) to close to 55-53 with 2:57 left.
However, Biola had the fortune of grabbing three offensive rebounds, which did not allow CUH to possess the ball for nearly a minute. The 'Swords also suffered three missed shots and two turnovers in the final three minutes while the Eagles pulled away with the game's final 10 points.
Chaminade shot 27.7 percent, was 4-for-19 from 3-point range and made 13-of-21 free throws. They also had 41 rebounds with 14 assists.
Biola did not shoot any better, making just 28.6 percent. The Eagles were just 6-of-33 from long range but made 23-of-33 trips to the foul line. They also turned the ball over 16 times, compared to CUH's 15.
The Silverswords will wrap up their six-game home stand Friday against Azusa Pacific. Tipoff at McCabe Gym is set for 4 p.m.
