Lions break through for 72-62 win

Steve Virgen

A simple reminder provided Vanguard University with enough motivation

to fight for a 72-62 victory over visiting Biola in the first round

of the Golden State Athletic Conference Thursday night.

Russ Davis, the coach of the Vanguard women’s basketball team,

told his squad to, “do the little things that make the difference,”

and apparently the Lions followed their coach’s lead. Vanguard,

trailing 54-49 with 6:29 left, went on a 11-0 run over the next 2:06

to grab control of the game. Down the stretch, the Lions answered two

Biola baskets and then made 9 of 10 free throws in the final minute

to seal the deal.

When Vanguard trailed midway through the second half, Davis kept

reminding his players what got them their No. 1 seed in the

tournament.

“I just said, ‘remember why we’re GSAC champs,’ ” said Davis,

whose team has the No. 1 seed in the tourney because of its GSAC

title. “We started to do the little things, the rebounding, passing

and getting after loose balls. All of a sudden we came back. That’s

what you have to do in big games like these.”

The Lions will host a GSAC semifinal Saturday night at 7:30 at The

Pit, against Westmont, the No. 4 seed.

Davis said Biola provided the Lions (24-8) with, “a nice wake-up

call.”

Vanguard, led by senior Robbin Dittenbir (15 points), built a

30-21 lead with just under three minutes left in the first half. But,

Biola (18-11) closed out the half with a 8-1 run and trailed, 31-29.

Vanguard sophomore Jennifer Wilcox took over in the second half,

scoring 16 of her team-high 18 points, including 10 points in the final seven minutes. She nailed a three-pointer with 15:32 left to

give Vanguard a 43-37 lead, which prompted a Biola timeout.

The Eagles, led by Sarah Baird (20 points) and Elizabeth Matthews

(20), responded with a 10-0 run for a 47-43 lead and maintained their

edge until Vanguard senior forward Deborah Candelaria started the

Lions’ aforementioned 11-0 scoring spurt with a three-point play with

6:12 left.

“Our chemistry is amazing,” Dittenbir said. “We’ve overcome a lot

of adversity early in the season. That forced us to come together.”