BOX SCORE

COSTA MESA, Calif. --- Rocky Hampton scored a game-high 24 points, but it was his steal and layup as time expired which proved to be the most important part of the night as Biola pulled out a last-second 67-66 victory at Vanguard University in a GSAC game on Saturday night.

The Eagles, ranked No. 17 in the NAIA Preseason Poll, remain perfect at 6-0 on the season and are now 2-0 in conference play. The Lions fall to 1-3 and 1-1 in the GSAC.

Hampton was the star of the show on Saturday night and capped things off with a dramatic play to keep Biola perfect. Trailing by one with four seconds to play, Hampton tipped away the Vanguard in-bound pass at midcourt, dribbled straight at the basket and hit the layup as time expired to give the Eagles the dramtic victory.

Hampton finished the night with 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting, adding four steals, three rebounds, one assist and one blocked shot. He was one of four Biola players in double-figures with Nate Rakestraw adding 12 points, Andrew Schroeder recording 11 and Danny Campbell contributing 10.

The Eagles led throughout the entire game up until the final minute. In the first half, Biola got off to a hot start and dominated the first 10 minutes, opening up a 22-10 lead with 9:48 to go in the period. Vanguard came on strong the rest of the half, closing the gap to two at one point at 27-25 before the teams headed to the locker room with Biola up 36-29.

In the second half, the Eagles were able to get the lead back to 11 in the early going as Marlon King scored the first four points of the half to give Biola a 40-29 edge at the 16:03 mark. Vanguard again narrowed the gap, pulling to within three on a three-point play by Elvis Whitelow which made it 44-41 with 12:51 to go.

Biola again responded and stretched the lead back up to 11 as Schroeder converted a pair of free throws on consecutive possessions, followed by baskets by Hampton and Tim Island. The Eagles still led 56-46 with 8:07 to play when the Lions began their final push. Vanguard used a 14-4 run over the next four minutes and eventually tied the score at 60-60 on a monster dunk by Alex Chapman.

Thanks to free throw conversions, the Eagles took the lead back and after Rakestraw converted one of two freebies, led 65-63 with 1:22 to play. Vanguard took its first--and only--lead of the game just a bit later as Mitch Boyce hit a clutch three-pointer with 43 seconds to play.

Biola had a couple of shots at taking the lead back, the first coming on the next possession. However, Schroeder's jumper from the free-throw line with 20 seconds left rattled out and Vanguard secured the rebound. Pressure by the Biola defense forced a turnover with 14 seconds to go forced a Lion turnover, but King was unable to convert the layup on the other end and Vanguard secured the defensive rebound with 12 seconds to go.

With two fouls still to give before free throws, Biola again stepped up the defensive pressure. The first inbound pass by the Lions resulted in the sixth team foul of the half on the Eagles. The second was tipped away by Hampton and turned into the game-winning layup.

Boyce finished the game as the leading scorer for the Lions with 14 points with Scott Gregory and Whitelow adding 13 each. Vanguard shot an impressive 52 percent from the field in the contest including 56 percent in the second half, but was plagued by turnovers. The Lions had 17 miscues--including two in the final 20 seconds--which led to 23 points by Biola.

The game was the Eagles' third of the season decided by four points or less. Hampton, who had not scored in double-figures for the last three games, came up with his second game-winning shot in his career at Biola, the last coming in 2007-08 against Azusa Pacific University in a game in La Mirada.

The Eagles return to action on Tuesday (Dec. 8), hosting Point Loma Nazarene in a the lone GSAC match of the day. The game tips-off at 7:30 p.m. at Chase Gymnasium.