by AZUSA, Calif. – No. 23 Azusa Pacific has now won 12 of its last 13 games against rival Biola, as the Cougars claimed a 73-69 home victory in the Cornerstone Cup on Wednesday evening. The Cougars’ victory was delivered by Amayah Kirkman, who knocked down the go-ahead three-pointer with 3.8 seconds in the contest to take a 72-69 lead. On the ensuing Biola possession, Kelly Heimburger secured the game-clinching steal, and she knocked down a final free throw with two seconds left to put the game out of reach.
Kirkman was among a group of four Cougars that scored in double figures, as she finished with 17 points on 5-for-7 shooting from three. TyLee Manuel led Azusa Pacific in scoring with a double-double, tallying 21 points and 10 rebounds. Paige Uyehara scored 11 points and dished out six assists, and Heimburger finished with 10 points, five rebounds and three steals. Alex Lowden was the leader among both teams in rebounding (11) and assists (7).
How It Happened: While the Cougars led for nearly the entire first 38 minutes of the game, the hosts were rarely in a comfortable position, with the Eagles constantly making runs that saw Azusa Pacific’s lead cut to just a few possessions.
In the first quarter, an early 11-0 run for the Cougars turned a 5-5 ball game into 16-5 difference with 3:23 on the clock. The margin would remain at nine or higher for the remainder of the opening period, and the Cougars took a 24-12 lead into the second.
What would ultimately be the largest lead of the game for the Cougars came on a Manuel layup to open the second quarter that made it 26-12, but the Eagles would claw back over the next five minutes with an 11-2 run to pull within five at 28-23 (5:25). Five points would be the closest the Eagles would get in the second quarter, and Azusa Pacific would enter the locker room at the break up 41-32.
Azusa Pacific would maintain a lead of two possessions or more for nearly the first seven minutes of the third quarter, but Biola would pull within two points at 48-46 with 3:13 in the third. The Cougars would rebuild a double-digit lead over the next two minutes, going on a 10-2 run for a 58-48 advantage with one minute remaining in the third. An Eagle three would send the contest to the fourth with a 58-51 tally.
With just under three minutes to play, Biola took its first lead of the contest, as Eagle guard Laila Walker converted on a three-point play that put the visitors ahead 67-64. The Eagles’ advantage would only last for about 40 seconds, as a Manuel layup (67-66), followed by a pair of free throws by Molly Whitmore put the Cougars back on top at 68-67 with 2:17 to play. While the score would be tied on a few occasions over the remainder of the game, Biola would not regain a lead.
With 21 seconds left, and Azusa Pacific holding a 67-69 lead, Biola called a timeout. Out of the timeout, the Eagles got what they were looking for, with Jordan Rabe scoring in the lane to tie the game at 69-69 with 12.5 seconds to go. Following a timeout by Azusa Pacific, the Cougars inbounded the ball in front of their bench, and following a couple of ball reversals, Alex Lowden zipped a pass to Kirkman on the right wing, who let it fly without hesitation. The ball ripped through the net, making it 72-69 Cougars with just 3.8 seconds remaining.
While Biola took a timeout and had one final chance to tie on its last possession, Heimburger was able to steal the inbounds pass and draw a foul, converting on her first free throw to put the game away with two seconds left at 73-69.
By The Numbers: Azusa Pacific was far more aggressive in attacking the rim, going 15-for-22 from the free throw line, while Biola went just 7-for-9 from the line. Another key stat in the game was on the offensive glass, where the Cougars grabbed 14 offensive rebounds that they turned into 17 second chance points, while the Eagles were held to just five second chance points on nine offensive rebounds. The game marked the 92nd meeting between Azusa Pacific and Biola, and the Cougars now hold an all-time series lead of 56-36.
