BOX SCORE
LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola's suffocating defense forced 17 turnovers and held Pomona-Pitzer to just 38 points in a 53-38 non-conference victory over the visiting Sagehens on Saturday night at Chase Gymnasium.
The Eagles improve to 9-0 on the season with the victory while Pomona-Pitzer drops to 3-4.
Senior forward
Rocky Hampton led Biola in scoring for the fourth-straight game and the fifth time this season, scoring 19 points and adding 11 rebounds. Hampton was 8-of-11 from the field and had six of his 11 boards on the offensive end. The senior has now scored 80 points in the last four games for the Eagles.
Biola, which ranks No. 3 in total defense in the NAIA, was putting on a defensive show, holding Pomona-Pitzer to just 32.6 percent shooting and to a season-low 38 points. The opposing point total was the fewest Biola had held a team to since an
85-29 victory over Hope International on Feb. 5, 2008.
The Eagles got off to a bit of a slow start, falling behind 4-3 four minutes into the contest and not shooting well despite numerous open looks. However, they slowly worked out of the early funk and slowly pulling away with a 13-2 run over the next six minutes. Pomona-Pitzer closed the gap to seven at 18-11on a three-pointer by Justin Sexton at the 7:11 mark. But Biola would allow just four more points the rest of the half, using an 11-4 run to take a 29-15 lead to the locker room.
In the second half, the Eagles stretched the lead up to 18 at 38-20 five minutes into the period and did not allow the Sagehens to get closer than 11 the rest of the way.
Junior guard
Nate Rakestraw was the only other Eagle in double-figures, scoring 12 points by collecting four of Biola's six three-pointers. It was Rakestraw's sixth game in double-figures this season.
Sexton led the way for the Sagehens, scoring 11 points and pulling down seven rebounds.
Biola returns to action on Thursday (Dec. 17), hosting Pacific Union College in a non-conference game. The contest will be considered a home game for the Eagles, but will be played at Hope International University in Fullerton due to graduation preparations at Biola. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
