Phoenix, Ariz. - Arizona Christian University's senior guard Steffani Liscum (Tucson, Ariz./Marana H.S.) exploded for 28 points and 14 rebounds, her fourth double-double of the season, and led the Firestorm (5-13, 1-1 A.I.I.) to a 90-77 Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) women's basketball victory over Johnson and Wales University (9-11, 1-2 A.I.I.) from Denver, Colorado, Saturday, Jan. 7, at Fultz Memorial Gymnasium on the ACU campus. ACU ended a four-game losing streak and extended JWU's losing streak to five games dating back to Dec. 3, when the Wildcats edged ACU, 85-82, in Phoenix. 

Coached by Jerry Conner, ACU returns to action with a pair of A.I.I. conference games against Northern New Mexico College (2-12) from Espanola, New Mexico., Friday, Jan. 13, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 14, at 1 p.m., in Fultz Memorial Gym. 

ACU prevailed in a battle of two of the top seven teams in all of the NAIA Division II in scoring offense and two of the top 11 in three-point field goals made. ACU ranks seventh with 1390 total points and 11th with 139 three-pointers, while JWU ranks fifth with 1406 points and third with 164 three-point field goals. Both sides made nine three-pointers in Saturday's game and both teams finished with four players scoring 12 or more points. 

The game also was billed as a showcase of two of the top four scorers in the NAIA Division II. Liscum, who ranks second in the NAIA Division II in total points (396) and fifth in scoring average (22.0 ppg) finished with 28 and 3 three-pointers, while JWU guard Caitlin Durkin, who ranks fourth with 366 points and 13th with an 18.30 scoring average, totaled 19 points and 3 three-pointers. 

Liscum scored 16 points with 3 three-pointers and grabbed four rebounds in the first half and added 12 more points and 10 rebounds in the second half. She made 10 of her 24 shot attempts and five of seven free throws and also contributed three assists and four steals. Liscum finished 

with seven of ACU's total of 19 offensive rebounds. 

ACU led, 20-11, with 10:12 left in the first half but JWU countered with a 15-5 run and briefly led, 26-25, with 6:41 left. Junior guard Jessica Largo (Gallup, N.M./Rehoboth Christian H.S.) drained a three-pointer at 5:48, and ACU never trailed again and after a 22-8 run, built the lead to 47-34, with 40 seconds left in the first half. 

After a 47-36 intermission lead, the Firestorm led by 15 points twice during the first five minutes of the second half. JWU sliced ACU's advantage to 64-59 with 11:21 left in the game, but ACU answered with seven consecutive points and led 71-59 with 7:48 left. JWU drew to within eight points twice in the next three minutes, but ACU led by 10 points or more the rest of the game. 

Freshman forward Sarah Beth Hock (Gilbert, Ariz./Perry H.S.) totaled 16 points, 11 in the first half, and 11 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season. Hock gathered four offensive rebounds, passed two assists, blocked three shots and stole the ball from JWU once. Freshmen forward Jamie Heath (Phoenix, Ariz./Thunderbird H.S.) came off the ACU bench and added 14 points, 2 three-pointers, six rebounds, one assist and five steals, and junior starting guard Jessica Largo (Gallup, N.M./Rehoboth Christian H.S.) scored 12 points with one three- pointer, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. 

Senior reserve guard Elizabeth Inscore (Dayville, Ore./Dayville H.S.) contributed eight points, one three-pointer and three assists, and drilled three free throws with 7:48 left in the game that gave ACU a more comfortable double-digit lead at a crucial point of the game. Freshman starting forward Stephanie Brimhall (Gilbert, Ariz./Perry H.S.), Hock's high school teammate, tallied five points and gathered four rebounds, and senior guard Anne Munsil (Scottsdale, Ariz./Scottsdale Christian Academy) finished with four points, three rebounds, one assist, one blocked shot and two steals. 

Besides Durkin's 19 points, 3 three-pointers, 8 rebounds and two assists, the Wildcats received 16 points and six rebounds from guard Amber Salaz, 13 points, 3 three-pointers, five rebounds and two blocked shots from guard Samantha Neal, and 12 points, 7 rebounds, and five assists from reserve guard Kourtney Shirley. Starter Jasmine Culbreath added nine points, 13 rebounds, two three-pointers, two assists and a steal, and starter Victoria Huber tallied eight points with eight rebounds and one steal.