by SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – In a complete turnaround from the previous day, the Arizona Christian University women’s basketball program (9-5; 3-3 GSAC) handed The Master’s University (5-3; 3-1 GSAC) a 74-45 loss on Saturday inside the MacArthur Center.
Series Notes:
The win moves ACU’s all-time record against TMU to 7-14. It also marks just the second time in program history that the Firestorm have defeated The Master’s twice in the same season (2017-18).
The 29-point loss is the largest for The Master’s dating all the way back to the 2006-07 season when it suffered a 111-50 loss to Vanguard University on Dec. 2, 2006.
Playoff Picture:
With the win, ACU moves within one game of the The Master’s and William Jessup, which are currently tied for first place in the East standings with 3-1 records. The Firestorm close conference with two games against OUAZ (0-4 GSAC), which currently sits at the bottom of the standings.
Game Details:
Offensively, ACU came out of the gate strong with 21 first-quarter points. But it was the Firestorm’s defensive game plan that truly led to the big win as they relied upon a full-court press for much of the game to halt the Mustangs offense.
The defensive game plan worked well as The Master’s were stymied for much of the game, scoring no more than 14 points in any quarter. ACU led at halftime, 35-21 and continued to outpace the Mustangs in the second half, leading by as many as 31 points en route to earning the lopsided victory, 74-45.
Inside the Box Score:
- Des Gonzalez (Navajo): Double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds, three assists
- Alyssa Alvarez: 16 points, three rebounds, one assist, one steal off the bench
- Brooke Polite: 12 points, five assists, one steal off the bench
- Kirsten Shinske: 10 points, three rebounds, one assist
- Kaycee Brown: Six points, nine rebounds, seven assists, seven steals, one block
