IT'S A POSTSEASON OF POSSIBILITIES TEAMS BEGIN PLAYOFFS WITH GSAC TOURNEY.

Byline: Chris Cocoles Staff Writer

NEWHALL - One team finished eighth, the other in a three-way tie for fifth. The Master's College men's and women's basketball teams learned a lot in their first year as Golden State Athletic Conference members.

Such as playing on the road, which was difficult against bottom teams as well as those at the top. Also, they learned their home court offered little protection if they weren't ready to play at the highest level.

In between, there were wins against nationally ranked opponents, miracle comebacks and clutch performances on the road.

The Mustangs now understand why the GSAC is one of the toughest conferences in the NAIA.

``It's nice to know that you're going to have a big game every Tuesday and Saturday,'' women's junior forward Andria Miller said.

The Master's women's team, seeded seventh, opens the conference tournament tonight at second-seeded Azusa Pacific at 5:30. The Mustangs' men drew the eighth and final seed and has to play regular-season champion and nationally ranked Biola at 7:30.

After years of playing independent schedules, The Master's teams probably weren't used to the grind of the 20-game double-round-robin format in the GSAC.

``I think if you ask any of the coaches in the conference, this has been the most difficult year it's been because so many teams have been so equally matched,'' Mustangs women's coach Ken Sugarman said.

The Mustangs men, perennial NAIA National Tournament participants, went through a four-game losing streak in January after a 3-1 GSAC start. The Mustangs couldn't post back-to-back victories the rest of the season until settling for a 9-11 finish and a tie for seventh with Vanguard.

``It's a very tough, competitive conference,'' Master's men's coach Bill Oates said. ``You have to have really good players and you have to execute and do your stuff well.''

Playing at No. 2-ranked Biola, which swept the Mustangs and has spent time ranked No. 1 in the nation, will be tough.

``We just want to go down there and play,'' Oates said after Tuesday's 86-77 upset of fourth-seeded Concordia at Bross Gym. ``It's an opportunity. We'll have to put together a really good game. But we're capable of doing that.''

Coming off a best-ever 26-3, NAIA Tournament season, the Mustangs women's team was tabbed as the preseason favorite in the GSAC. But The Master's youth (no seniors) and a string of close road losses hurt any championship hopes.

``It's tough to go on the road, especially in this conference,'' said Sugarman, whose team went 2-7 away from Bross Gym in the GSAC. Five of the losses were in single digits.

``Playing in close games gives this team an advantage that our team last year didn't really have. We're playing close games and these kids know what pressure is. Because they felt it day in and day out.''

Now the Mustangs have their opportunity to make good use of their failures away from home and steal a road win in the biggest game of the season.

A victory over 22nd-ranked Azusa Pacific advances The Master's (18-11 overall) to Saturday's semifinals. A loss ends any hope of returning to the NAIA Tournament.

The Mustangs' roller-coaster seasons have reached their highest point. The men's and women's teams can control how long the ride will last.

``Our only option now is to keep going forward,'' women's guard Jorden Whittington said. ``If you lose, you're out. We can go to another tournament (the National Christian College Athletic Association). But the NAIAs are our goal. Hopefully, we're going on a roll.''

MEN

THE MASTER'S vs. NO. 2 BIOLATipoff: 7:30 p.m., Chase Gymnasium, La Mirada.

Master's (14-12, 9-11) update: The Mustangs played one of their best games of the season in Tuesday's 86-77 victory over Concordia, shooting a season-best 62 percent from the field. For The Master's to have a chance, junior point guard Brandee Jones will have to produce a similar game to Tuesday's performance, when he scored 29 points on 10 of 16 field-goal attempts and 4 of 6 from 3-point range. Backcourt mate Tyler Hoffman made 4 of 5 attempts beyond the 3-point arc and scored 20 against Concordia.

Biola (26-3, 17-3) update: The Eagles ended Azusa Pacific's nine-year reign as GSAC champions. One of the catalysts has been guard Kevin Augustine, whose career has included stops at USC and Nebraska. Augustine and fellow senior Nate Strong, a 6-foot-4 forward, each average 15 points. Center Abiodun Medupin averages 7.4 rebounds and ranks second in the conference in field-goal percentage (58 percent).

WOMEN

THE MASTER'S vs. NO. 22 AZUSA PACIFICTipoff: 5:30 p.m., Felix Event Center, Azusa.

Master's (18-11, 11-9) update: The road hasn't been kind to the Mustangs, who went 2-7 in conference games, including a 59-51 loss at Azusa on Feb. 5. The Master's needs to take better care of the ball (22 turnovers) and shoot better from 3-point range (1 of 19) than it did in that loss to the Cougars. Junior forward Lesley DuBois, who leads the team with a 16.2 scoring average, must be complemented by her supporting cast of freshman point guard Becky Bracelin (11.8), freshman center Amy Van Doesburg and swing players Elisabeth DeWaalMalefyt and Jorden Whittington for the Mustangs to reach Saturday's semifinals, also to be played at Azusa Pacific.

Azusa Pacific (22-7, 16-4 update): The Cougars shared the GSAC title with Fresno Pacific but lost the tiebreaker and are seeded No. 2. But the Cougars are the favorite because the semifinals and final will be played on their home court. Guard Catherine Solorio is just 5-foot-7 but averages 17 points. Jacqueline Godoy leads the GSAC in assists (5.7 per game).

- Chris Cocoles

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1) JONES

(2) The Master's Elisabeth DeWaalMalefyt will have to play well for the Mustangs to have a shot today against Azusa Pacific.

Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) MEN (see text)

(2) WOMEN (see text)