Vanguard shoots for GSAC title

Barry Faulkner

The Vanguard University women’s basketball team, which has been a cut

above the Golden State Athletic Conference competition all season,

wants to break out the scissors tonight.

The Lions (27-2), ranked No. 3 in NAIA Division I and winners of

17 of 18 games to capture the GSAC regular-season title, play host to

Biola (20-12) at 7:30 in the GSAC tournament championship game.

“Our girls weren’t happy watching The Master’s cut down the nets

in our own gym,” Vanguard Coach Russ Davis said of last season’s

conference title-game defeat.

This season, Biola is the only team to earn a victory over the

Lions at The Pit. The Eagles (11-9 in conference play) posted an

85-66 triumph over the Lions Jan. 31. It was a game in which Vanguard

shot a season-low 31.7% from the field (20 of 63), including just 4

of 22 from three-point distance (18.2%).

“That game gave [the Eagles] confidence,” said Davis, who views

Biola’s size -- including 6-6 junior center Linda Ogugua and 6-0

senior guard Sarah Baird -- as an advantage for Coach Tom Pryor’s

squad.

“Their size makes them a very tough matchup for us. And if they’re

shooting well, they’re very tough to beat,” said Davis, whose Lions

won the first meeting this year, 89-37, Dec. 2 at Biola.

Ogugua, averaging 12.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, did not

play in the first meeting.

Baird, whom Davis considers the Eagles’ best player, averages 14.8

points and 7.8 rebounds.

Davis said he will employ myriad defenses in hopes of containing

the Eagles. The Lions are led by freshman forward Kelly Schmidt and

junior point guard Lisa Faulkner, the GSAC Player of the Year after

transferring from UC Irvine.

The 6-0 Schmidt, an All-GSAC performer, averages a team-high 20.3

points and 8.3 rebounds, while Faulkner averages 12.9 points and an

NAIA-leading 10.1 assists.

Rachel Besse, a 6-3 freshman starter, averages 11.4 points and 7.1

rebounds.

Lacey Mills, a junior guard, averages 10.7 points and has a

team-high 83 three-pointers this season, shooting an impressive 37.9%

from beyond the arc.

Lacey Burns, a 5-11 freshman, is averaging 9.6 points and 6.7

rebounds.