SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- The Pacific West Conference regular-season title is up for grabs, as the Vanguard Lions avenged their loss at home to Point Loma by beating the Sea Lions in their barn Thursday night 66-56.  Vanguard shot 46.2% from the floor and forced the hosts under their season average, 45.4%, as the Sea Lions made shots at a 34.6% clip on the night.  VU made three more shots from beyond the arc in the contest than its foes, and won the rebound battle 39-27.  The squad led for 33:03 of the night, while PLNU held an edge for only 1:41.
 
Micaela Hanning led all players with 19 points, making six of her 10 shots, including a 3-for-6 mark from downtown.  Meanwhile, the pair of former Sea Lions, Kaylee Byon and Shayla O'Neil, had 12 and 10 points, respectively, with O'Neil potting all of her points in the second half.  Jaryn Madsen also deposited a trio of shots from deep and collected 11 points.
 
The Blue and Gold improved to 18-4 overall and 15-3 in league play, while PLNU dropped to 19-5, 15-4.
 
The win means VU is tied with PLNU atop the PacWest standings, and with the head-to-head battle equal, the race for the regular season title and the top seed in the PacWest Tournament is on.  If both teams win out, there will be a sharing of the trophy, with other tie breakers determining the #1 seed.
 
What was Said? "Nice win for us on the road.  We have to keep finding ways to win. Go Lions," said Head Coach Russ Davis.
 
What Happened?  Byon found Hanning for a trey 19 seconds into the game, as VU scored on the first possession of the contest.  The home side needed its second possession to get on the board, and over the next three minutes, the conversion rate remained low, as the score was tied 7-7 midway through the period.  Hanning made two foul shots to put VU ahead 9-7, and though PLNU soon equalized, Kayla Boozer put the Lions ahead again.  She made back-to-back shots, with Byon netting the helpers, to put Vanguard ahead 13-11, but the Sea Lions nailed a three at the buzzer to conclude the period with a 14-13 lead.
 
It was the second stanza that really enhanced the chances for the Blue and Gold, as the squad won the frame 19-10.  Free throws from Byon and a beautiful drive and finish by Hanning opened the quarter, and after Point Loma collected the next six points, the Lions hit a stride on both ends.  Hanning snagged a step-back two, followed by an Emma Schaaf layup, which set the edge at 22-19.  The duo alternated again to help VU stoke an 8-0 run, which culminated with a Madsen swish from beyond to arc, which propelled the lead to 29-19 with 2:30 left in the half.  PLNU made the next five points, but Madsen got a tidy pass from Byon with seven ticks left, and her three left VU ahead 32-24 at the half.
 
An Akilah Kubi layup got the new half going, and Hanning fed Byon for a trey, but the Sea Lions whittled the gap down to five and then three as the period moved along.  The battle in the key became ferocious, as both sides exchanged steals and turnovers, and the Lions did well to defend the defensive glass (29-20 lead in the game in defensive baords).  A Boozer layup rebooted the Vanguard attack, as did a pick-and-pop three from O'Neil, which set the VU lead at 44-37 entering the final quarter.
 
The first two minutes of the fourth were scoreless, before each side nailed a three, with Hanning netting the honors for the Blue and Gold off another quality dish from Byon.  The Lions then started to twist the screw tighter after a Madsen layup that put the lineup up 49-40 with 7:29 to go. 
 
O'Neil made a twisting move and finished a layup off the glass, and Schaaf then made her first block of the night at the other end.  After a Hanning floater inched the gap out to 53-41, O'Neil splashed down from three feet beyond the arc, and Madsen cashed in from deep on the next VU attack to force the lead to 59-46.  O'Neil continued to haunt her former team with another layup with 2:13 remaining to make it a 61-46 advantage. 
 
With timeouts in the bank, PLNU tried to use the foul game to force the issue, but the hosts did not have enough track to slash the deficit, as the Lions won 66-56.  VU shot at a 41% rate in the first three quarters, but rocketed up to a 63.64% in the final frame.
 
Boozer led all players with eight rebounds, while Hanning, Schaaf, and Byon were next with six.  Byon had nine assists, the second time that she has had nine in a game this season.  O'Neil made four steals to lead the lineup.  VU won despite losing the turnover battle 20-16, but depth was key, as the Blue and Gold had a 27-5 edge in points off the bench.
 
Why is it Important?  The Lions hold the tiebreakers over Westmont, keeping the Warriors in the back seat for now.  The Lions have four games remaining, while PLNU has three, including Westmont, who make the trip south on the final day of the regular season.   The win tonight ended a two-game drought against the Sea Lions and puts the all-time series at 43-28 in favor of VU.
 
What's Next?  Senior day is against Biola on Saturday, with a 5:30 p.m. tip and the ceremony for the seniors starting around 5:20 p.m.