LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Junior guard
Nate Rakestraw connected on five of his seven three-point attempts, finishing with a game-high 19 points as Biola remained perfect with a 72-55 victory over San Diego Christian College in a GSAC game on Saturday night at Chase Gymnasium.
The Eagles run their record to 15-0 and stay atop the GSAC with a perfect 5-0 record in conference. The Hawks fall to 2-13 and 0-5 in conference action.
Rakestraw, who ranks among the top three-point shooters in the conference, was 6-of-10 from the field including 5-of-7 from beyond the arc, scoring a season-high 19 points to lead all scorers. Senior post
Rocky Hampton added 12 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots.
Biola's NAIA-best defense was on display, holding the Hawks to just 55 points and 35 percent shooting. SDCC connected on just 28 percent of its shots in the first half as Biola opened up a comfortable lead in the first half and cruised to the win.
The Eagles had a bit of trouble breaking away from San Diego Christian early in the half, holding a slight 10-9 lead just under 14 minutes into the period. But the Eagles went on a 17-5 run over the next, holding the Hawks to a pair of field goals to build a 27-14 lead at the 5:22 mark. San Diego Christian closed the gap to nine with 1:58 to go but went to the locker room down 11, 36-25, at halftime.
In the second half, the Hawks opened the half with a basket by Jack Colston to again pull within nine, but that would be the closest they would get the rest of the way. Rakestraw scored the next seven-straight points for the Eagles capped by a deep three-pointer which stretched the lead back to 16 at 43-27 with 17:23 to go. Biola would lead by as many as 22 before emptying the bench and holding on for the 17-point win.
Biola finished with eight three-pointers in the game, giving them 17 over the last two games. The Eagles also held a 32-26 rebound advantage, though the bulk of those rebounds came late in the game when the outcome was already decided. Biola held a 26-14 edge in points in the paint and outscored the Hawks 14-10 in second-chance opportunities.
Biola now begins the first of two tough stretches this season. On Tuesday, the Eagles visit No. 22 Westmont for a GSAC game at Murchison Gymnasium in Santa Barbara. Next Saturday, Biola hosts No. 2 Concordia in a game which could go a long way in determining the 2009-10 GSAC champion. Both games tip-off at 7:30 p.m.
