Orange, Calif. - Chapman University (12-9) led by 30 points at halftime and by as many as 45 points twice in the second half of its 91-61 non-conference collegiate women's basketball victory over Arizona Christian University (8-16), Friday, Feb. 3, in Hutton Sports Center in Orange, Calif. Chapman ended its three-game losing streak, and ACU has lost three of its last four.
ACU's senior guard Steffani Liscum (Tucson, Ariz./Marana H.S.), who ranks second in the NAIA Division II and first in the NCCAA with a 22.8 point average, finished with 19 points, 14 in the second half, and surpassed the 1000-career point mark in her 44th career game in two seasons at ACU. Her basket and free throw at the 2:48 mark of the second half gave her 1001 points (22.95 ppg) with three regular-season games left to play. Liscum ranks second in the NAIA Division II and first in the NCCAA this season with a 22.67 point average.
ACU, coached by Jerry Conner, plays a rematch at La Sierra University (4-23) in Riverside, Saturday, Feb. 4, at 7:30 p.m., Arizona time.
Chapman opened the contest with 10 consecutive points in the first four minutes and led 14-2 with 14:44 left in the first half. The Firestorm missed their first eight shots and first five three- pointers and committed nine turnovers in the first five minutes. ACU sliced the lead to 14-10 on a three-point field goal at 13:00 by senior guard Anne Munsil (Scottsdale, Ariz./Scottsdale Christian Academy), the Firestorm's career three-point leader with 138, but Chapman closed the half with an extended run of 40-14 and led 54-24 at intermission, tying its widest advantage of the game.
While Chapman shot 51.2 percent from the field (22-43) and stole the ball from ACU nine times in the first half, ACU shot just 27.6 percent (8-29) and committed 23 turnovers in the first 20 minute period.
In the second half, the host Panthers put together a 21-6 run, helped mightily by 13 ACU turnovers during the run, and Chapman grabbed its widest lead, 81-36, with 9:03 remaining. Shooting 46.7 percent from the field (14-30) in the second half, the Firestorm sliced Chapman's final margin of victory to 91-61 with a 23-8 run, including 10 points by Liscum, in the last 8:29 of the game.
Munsil finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds, her second double-double of the season, two assists and one steal, and junior guard Jessica Largo (Gallup, N.M. Rehoboth Christian School) added four points, all free throws, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Freshman forward Sarah Beth Hock (Gilbert, Ariz./Perry H.S.) contributed eight points, 12 rebounds and a steal, and Hock's former high school teammate, Stephanie Brimhall (Gilbert, Ariz./Perry H.S.) had five points, her first collegiate three-pointer, two rebounds and one steal. Senior guard Jessica Smith (Mesa, Ariz./Home Schooled) added five points, one three-pointer and one steal, and freshman forward Liz Erickson (Peoria, Ariz./Northwest Christian School) finished with five points and three rebounds.
Four Panthers scored in double figures, including Kimi Takaoka with 18 points, one three- pointer, four rebounds, six assists and three steals and 15 by Emily McCoy, 12 in the first half, plus three steals. Off the Chapman bench, Andrea Villanueva totaled 11 points, one three- pointer, three assists and two steals, and forward Brandi Hood contributed 10 points, six rebounds, one blocked shot and one steal. Ari Luna tallied six points and grabbed 5 rebounds.
ACU shot 37.3 percent from the field for the game (22-59), 17.4 percent from three-point range (4-23) and 65.0 percent from the free throw line (13-20), committed 40 costly turnovers and stole the ball 11 times from Chapman. Chapman out-rebounded ACU by a scant 45-43 margin and committed 22 turnovers and stole the ball from ACU 17 times. The Panthers shot 48.1 percent from the field (39-81), 60.0 percent from three-point range (3-5) and 55.6 percent from the free throw line (10-18).
