LA MIRADA, Calif. – The Chaminade University women's basketball team on Thursday dropped a 74-67 decision to Biola University at Chase Gymnasium.
Sameera Elmasri (Shawnee, Kan./Birmingham-Southern Univ./Saint Thomas Aquinas HS) led the Silverswords with 23 points, her seventh 20-point contest this season. The senior guard also had five rebounds and four assists in Chaminade's fourth game of their current five-game road trip. Chaminade fell to 6-13 and 5-8 in the Pacific West Conference.
Kali Jones (Hyrum, Utah/Mountain Crest) added 10 points and seven boards for Chaminade while
Amaya Washington (Peoria, Ariz./Dream City Christian) chipped in with nine points and
Dezaray Carter (Honolulu/Sacred Hearts Academy) had eight.
Sammie Henley and Sydney Moran had 18 points each for the Eagles (6-13, 6-5 PacWest) who salvaged a split of the season series.
Although the 'Swords never led in the contest, they managed to keep within striking distance throughout. Biola managed to stretch its lead to as many as 16 late in the third quarter but Elmasri drilled 3-pointers on consecutive possessions while Washington added another triple just before the end of the quarter to put the 'Swords down by seven.
Shots by Washington and Jones followed by a pair of free throws by Elmasri in the opening stages of the fourth quarter helped close CUH's deficit to 57-54 but Biola made nine of its last 10 shots from the foul line to help pull away.
The 'Swords shot 42.6 percent from the floor with Elmasri making four of the team's seven triples. They were 14-of-22 from the free throw line with 38 rebounds, 13 assists and 14 turnovers.
Biola shot 40.3 percent from the field, making 10-of-27 from long range and was 14-of-18 at the charity stripe. The Eagles pulled down 35 boards, dished out 17 assists with seven giveaways.
The Silverswords will close out their road trip Saturday at Westmont College. Tipoff is set for 11 a.m. Hawai'i time.
