Sixth-ranked Westmont Women’s Basketball got back on the winning track on Tuesday with a 78-47 Golden State Athletic Conference win over Biola (14-9, 6-7 GSAC) at Murchison Gymnasium. The win guarantees the Warriors (22-2, 11-1) a home game in the first round of the GSAC Tournament which begins on Wednesday, February 29.
With five games remaining, Westmont holds a two game lead over #12 Vanguard (16-5, 10-3) and #13 Azusa Pacific (17-6, 10-3) who are tied for third.
Tugce Canitez tallied 24 points and eight rebounds in 25 minutes of play against Biola. Seventeen of her points came in the first half. Lisa Peterson, who played just 23 minutes, recorded 10 points, four rebounds and three assists.
The Warriors never trailed in the game. The last tie was at 15-all with 10:49 left in the first half. By halftime, Westmont held a 35-27 advantage.
In the second half, the Warriors came out on fire, stringing together a 25-2 run in the first six minutes and 34 seconds to put the game out of reach. During that stretch, the Warriors were eight of nine from the field, including four of four from beyond the arc with two treys by Aubrey Lincoln and one each by Katie Kittle and Erin Beadle.
Kittle tallied seven point, three rebounds and three steals. Lincoln notched nine-points, all on three-pointers, while Beadle had five points and two assists. Kelsey Sampson was three for five on the night, scoring six points and pulling down five rebounds.
Westmont shot 65.2 percent from the floor in the second half (15-23) on their way to a 54.9 percent mark for the game (28 of 51). From three-point range they were 46.2 percent (6 of 13) while from the charity stripe they made 16 of 18 attempts (88.9%). Westmont beat Biola on the boards 33 to 26.
