RIVERSIDE — The California Baptist University women’s basketball team executed its first offensive possession to perfection, as the Lancers moved the ball around before Emma Johansson sank a 3-pointer from the right wing 24 seconds into the game. CBU’s Shawnee Nordstrom (3) pulls down a reboun d as Abilene Christian’s Erin Woodson (4) defends during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU’s head coach Jarrod Olson speaks with Filipa Barros (5) durina a second half timeout against visiting Abilene Christian’s at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) Abilene Christian defenders swarm around CBU’s Grace Schmidt (33) during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU’s Khloe Lemon (24) drives to the basket as Abilene Christian’sPayton Hull (10) defends during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) Abilene Christian’s Riley Grohman (21) and CBU’s Filipa Barros (5) battle for rebound position under the basket during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU’s Grace Schmidt (33) drives to the basket as Abilene Christian’s Emma Daugherty (1) defends during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU’s Khloe Lemon (24) drives to the basket as Abilene Christian’s Breanna Davis (5) defends during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU’s Filipa Barros (5) guards Abilene Christian’s Erin Woodson (4) during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) Kindergarten through 8th grade students cheer during pregame introductions as CBU prepares to play visiting Abilene Christian on Education Day at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU’s Lauren Olsen (13) drives to the basket as Abilene Christian’s Natalia Chavez (2) defends during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU’s Lauren Olsen (13) looks to pass as Abilene Christian’s Payton Hull (10) defends during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU’s Emma Johansson (14) drives to the basket as Abilene Christian’s Erin Woodson (4) defends during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU’s Abilene Christian’s at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU’s Grace Schmidt (33) drives to the basket as Abilene Christian’s Emma Daugherty (1) defends during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU’s Shawnee Nordstrom (3) pulls down a rebound as Abilene Christian’s Erin Woodson (4) defends during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU’s Abilene Christian’s at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU’s Khloe Lemon (24) drives to the basket as Abilene Christian’sPayton Hull (10) defends during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU’s Lauren Olsen (13) looks to pass as Abilene Christian’s Payton Hull (10) defends during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU’s Khloe Lemon (24) drives to the basket as Abilene Christian’s Breanna Davis (5) defends during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU’s Lauren Olsen (13) drives to the basket as Abilene Christian’s Natalia Chavez (2) defends during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) Abilene Christian defenders swarm around CBU’s Grace Schmidt (33) during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) Students cheer during a timeout as CBU plays visiting Abilene Christian at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) Kindergarten through 8th grade students hold up their fingers as they play a game on the big screen monitor during a timeout as CBU plays visiting Abilene Christian on Education Day at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU’s Lauren Olsen (13) drives to the basket as Abilene Christian’s Natalia Chavez (2) defends during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU’s Lauren Olsen (13) drives to the basket as Abilene Christian’s Natalia Chavez (2) defends during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) Children fill the Fowler Events Center on Education Day as CBU plays visiting Abilene Christian in a womens basketball game at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU head coach Jarrod Olson directs his team against visiting Abilene Christian at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) A man comes out of the mouth of Mike Rainbow Trout during on court entertainment during a timeout of the CBU Abilene Christian womens basketball game at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) CBU’s Lauren Olsen (13) looks to pass as Abilene Christian’s Payton Hull (10) and Riley Grohman (21)defend during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) Show Caption1 of 29CBU’s Shawnee Nordstrom (3) pulls down a rebound as Abilene Christian’s Erin Woodson (4) defends during the first half at the Cal Baptist University’s Fowler Events Center in Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Abilene Christian defeated CBU 70-58 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) Expand Unfortunately for the Lancers, it took 36 minutes and 51 seconds before another player connected from behind the arc. California Baptist drained 55 shots from long range across their first five Western Athletic Conference games, but the Lancers made only 2 of 25 from distance Wednesday and dropped a 70-58 decision to Abilene Christian at the Fowler Events Center. The loss was CBU’s first in conference play, but the Lancers are still a half game ahead of Abilene Christian in the standings. CBU (11-8, 5-1 in the WAC) missed 19 straight attempts from 3-point range before Lauren Olsen nailed one with 2:45 to play. “We had good looks. We just weren’t tough enough to knock them down,” Lancers coach Jarrod Olson said about his team’s shooting woes Wednesday. “… There are going to be games that are decided by which team is going to be a little bit tougher when things aren’t going well. Abilene played harder and outworked us on loose balls and overall were just tougher than us.” Wednesday’s contest was CBU’s annual “Education Day Game,” so the Fowler Events Center was filled to near capacity with a few thousand enthusiastic elementary and middle school students. Abilene Christian, however, was not fazed by the noise. “This was our third ‘elementary kid day’ so far the season, and we are undefeated in (those) games,” Abilene Christian coach Julie Goodenough said. “The past two days, we just blasted our stereo and cranked up the music so our players would have to talk louder and had to listen better. This crowd knew to cheer for Cal Baptist. We’ve played other games where (the kids) just cheered for whoever was playing the best. This was a pro-Cal Baptist crowd, but I think our kids played off that energy.” Johansson’s 3-pointer on the opening possession was the only time CBU held a lead. Abilene Christian (13-5, 4-1) outscored the Lancers 19-9 the rest of the first period. Natalia Chavez sank two 3-pointers and Payton Hull drained another to spark the run. CBU scored the first four points of the second quarter, prompting Goodenough to call a timeout. The Wildcats answered with a 20-5 run over the next 8-plus minutes to take a 43-25 lead at halftime. Erin Woodson scored 12 points during the run. The Lancers went on a 10-2 run to start the second half, cutting the deficit to 11 points with 6:48 remaining in the third period. Goodenough called another timeout, and the Wildcats responded once again with a 10-0 run that pushed their lead to 56-35. “Every team is different. Some teams are terrible after timeouts and others will lock in,” Goodenough said. “I’ve learned to just talk to them, even if I’m super angry. Just talk, make an adjustment and convince them that whatever I’m asking them to do is about the work. And they responded really well today.” CBU finally found some rhythm on offense near the end of the third quarter. The Lancers went on a 12-0 run to trim the deficit to 56-47 with 5:13 to play and later put together an 11-4 run to get within 62-58 with 1:10 showing on the clock. Johansson and Olsen combined to score 13 points during those two runs that gave the Lancers a chance to win at the end. Emma Troxell leaked out behind CBU’s full-court pressure and scored an uncontested layup with 57 seconds left, and Abilene Christian made all six of its free-throw attempts in the final minute to seal the victory. “We did a good job rallying there at the end,” Olson said. “But that’s been a problem for us. We’re good at the rally, but we’re digging ourselves too big of a hole at times. … As much as we tried to climb out today, they just kept pushing us back down.” Olsen scored 19 points, and Johansson added 15 points, six rebounds and six blocked shots for CBU. Woodson scored a game-high 23 points for Abilene Christian. Chavez and Hull added 20 and 15 points, respectively. Related Articles Trent Perry’s career night propels UCLA past Penn State Rice, Betts lead No. 3 UCLA women past Minnesota for 10th straight win SDSU women shoot past New Mexico in front of record-breaking crowd at Viejas Arena USC women on 3-game skid with No. 12 Maryland in town USC men roll past Maryland after ‘rejuvenation’ during tough trip ...read more read less