HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's basketball team got a big final quarter Thursday, defeating Biola University, 57-42, at McCabe Gymnasium.
Trailing by a deuce after three quarters, the Silverswords outscored the Eagles, 22-5, in the fourth quarter to beat them for the first time since the series began in 2017-18 to improve to 5-9 overall. They also evened their Pacific West Conference to 4-4, their best eight-game conference start in program history with their four conference wins being the most since 2019-20.
Their big run in the second half included a 31-7 surge in the game's final 13 minutes.
The 42 points is the fewest surrendered in program history, surpassing only the 44 they gave up against Hawai'i Hilo in December 2015, and is just the second time since the program began in 2006 not allowing an opponent to hit the 50-point barrier.
Meanwhile their 15-point margin of victory is their largest since February 2014 when they defeated the Vulcans by 17.
Sameera Elmasri (Shawnee, Kan./Birmingham-Southern Univ./Saint Thomas Aquinas HS) scored a game-high 17 points including 13 in the final quarter. The senior guard, who celebrated her 22nd birthday on Wednesday, also pulled down seven rebounds and had four steals.
Point guard
Morgan Escobedo (Scottsdale, Ariz./Pinnacle), who on Monday was named the PacWest Player of the Week, added 12 points with nine rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Dezaray Carter (Honolulu/Sacred Hearts Academy) chipped in with 12 points and four assists.
Kali Jones (Hyrum, Utah/Mountain Crest) ripped down nine rebounds while providing six points.
Laila Walker led Biola (3-12, 3-4 PacWest) with nine points.
Chaminade held a 15-12 lead after the first 10 minutes but offenses seemed to stagnate for both teams in the next 10 with both teams combining for just 14. The Eagles led 23-18 at halftime.
With 3:04 left in the third, Sammie Henley's layup put Biola up, 35-26. As it turned out, it would be their last field goal over the next nine minutes. Carter's three-point play would be the ignitor for the 'Swords' massive run
Ashley Holen (Watford City, N.D./Minot State University/Watford City HS),
Alyssa Schuetze (Temecula, Calif./Great Oak) and Jones hit field goals before the end of the quarter, drawing them to within 37-35 at the end of 30 minutes of play.
Escobedo's driving layup a minute into the fourth tied the score at 37 and, a minute after that, Elmasri's jumper put Chaminade ahead, 39-37, their first lead since 12-10 late in the first quarter.
The surge continued; in all, 23-2, holding Biola to 0-for-8 shooting while forcing six turnovers during that nine-minute span and ultimately pull away in the game's final minutes.
The 'Swords shot 37.7 percent from the floor with Elmasri accounting for three of the team's four triples. Chaminade made 7-of-11 from the charity stripe, outrebounded the Eagles, 40-to-34 and forced 17 turnovers while committing just 11 themselves.
Biola was just 17-of-54 from the floor (31.5 percent), held to a paltry 4-of-22 from 3-point range and was sent to the line just five times.
The Silverswords wrap up their four-game home stand Saturday against Azusa Pacific, ranked No. 8 in the WBCA Coaches Poll and 17th in the D2CSC Media Poll. Tipoff is set for 11 a.m.
