PHOENIX, Ariz. -- The Arizona Christian University Firestorm outscored the Mid-America Christian University Lady Evangels 54-29 in the second half to win 83-60 today at the Arizona Christian University Firestorm Classic II in Phoenix, Ariz.  

It was a tale of two halves as the Lady Evangels got off to a fast start in the opening stanza. 

Ashlee Ferguson scored eight quick points as MACU scored the first 10 points of the contest and still led 15-5 on a three by Ferguson at the 13:50 mark. 

Consecutive buckets by Alliyah Spatafora and Alexia Kelley then gave the Lady Evangels their biggest lead of 26-15 before Taylor Blue scored nine points to key a 14-5 spurt over the final 5:45 of the half to cut the MACU lead to 31-29 at the break. 

The Firestorm picked up where they left off by immediately taking their first lead of the game on a three by Blue that made it 34-33 just 1:23 into the second half. 

ACU never relinquished the lead from that point and used a 9-0 spurt to pull out to a double-digit edge of 45-35 with 14:31 left. 

After consecutive scores from Shakayla Love brought the Lady Evangels within six, the Firestorm went on a 10-2 run to expand the lead to 55-41. 

The deficit was 11 when Alyssa Gruber and Coulter Bowlen combined for eight points of a 10-0 burst that put it away with 6:23 remaining. 

Ferguson wound up with a team-high 17 points for the Lady Evangels (7-3), while Kelley posted a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds. Felicia Foster scored 11 points and Spatafora led with six assists. 

Blue paced the Firestorm (4-10) with 17 points, with Gruber, Bowlen and Sophia Anaya each scored 16.  Jazmin Mays dished out a game-high 13 assists and also had four steals.  

The Lady Evangels will face Northern New Mexico College tomorrow afternoon (Dec. 31) in the final day of the Classic at 2:30 p.m. (CST).