Box Score KANSAS CITY, Mo. --- Biola Men's Basketball extended the nation's longest active winning streak with an 84-54 drubbing of the Faulkner Eagles in Wednesday's opening round game at the 2016 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship.
 
"We had 44 rebounds and they had 18 and that was the big difference," said Head Coach Dr. Dave Holmquist. "We shot a good percentage [from the field and from three points.] We had a few breakdowns in the second half but I think we played good defense overall, especially when the game was in doubt."
 
The Biola Eagles got off to a slow start as the No. 1 seed trailed eight-seeded Faulkner for much of the first half of play. It was not until a 21-4 Biola run over the final 8:23 of that the top seed really began to assert its dominance over the Eagles out of Montgomery, Alabama.
 
It was big, physical plays inside and a hot streak from Dakari Archer from beyond the arc that made the difference in Biola's late first-half run. The junior guard made four three-point shots in the first half as he attempted to keep pace with a Faulkner team that was firing on all cylinders from deep early on.
 
The eight seed gave Biola a run for its money through those first 12 minutes or so primarily because of a torrid start from distance. The visiting Eagles started the game 6-of-11 from deep as it built a 22-17 lead.
 
However, some Biola defensive adjustments forced Faulkner to look for options other than the three-point shot over the remainder of the half as the visiting Eagles only had two more chances from deep as BU began its big run.
 
Biola overcame the 22-17 disadvantage with the help of a 12-0 run over the course of the next five and a half minutes. This run was fueled by strong work on the glass on both ends of the floor. The Eagles would eventually outrebound Faulker 44-18 for the game.
 
BU finished the half shooting 8-for-13 as it piled on and extended to a 12-point lead at the break. Six of those late points were second-chance points as Jeff Gonzalez, Terrell Funches and Ryan Swain were cleaning up on the boards.
 
There was not much to worry about at all in the second half as the team outscored Faulkner by 18 points and ended up with the largest margin of victory at the tournament to this point (30 points).
 
"We're glad to win this first one and get the rest of today and all of tomorrow to enjoy this. When you are able to win the first one and get used to playing here that's big," said Holmquist.
 
Archer and Funches put on a clinic in the offensive end as the Eagles' backcourt combined for 49 points and shot 18-of-27 (66%). Archer carried the team to its early comeback and Funches soared throughout as he helped BU to a 32-14 advantage in scoring in the paint.
 
Funches was also tasked with guarding Faulkner's best playe, Di'Mar Hill. Hill came into the game averaging 22 points-per-game and Funches held him to 1-of-9 shooting and three points.
 
It was Logan Jozwiak that was the primary scorer for Faulkner. He hit seven three-point shots as he led the team with 26 points. Only one other player reached double-digits for the eighth seed.
 
Joining Funches and Archer in double-digits for Biola was Jeff Gonzalez. The junior forward finished with 11 points on a tremendous 5-of-7 shooting performance. He added eight boards for another complete performance.
 
Biola played a very disciplined game as it only turned the ball over 10 times and allowed just six free-throw opportunities to the visiting Eagles. It was 35 minutes in before Faulkner finally had their first opportunity from the charity stripe.
 
All-in-all, it was definitely a game that Holmquist could be proud of, as his team won in a convincing fashion that is expected from a No. 1 seed.
 
The three other first round games in the A.O. Duer bracket were all decided by two points or fewer. Biola moves on to face No. 4 seed MidAmerica Christian (24-9) at 8:45 a.m. pacific time on Friday, March 18.