LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Senior Dwight Gordon scored a game-high 19 and junior David Cline added a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double off the bench to lead Biola to a 72-59 season-opening victory over California Maritime Academy on Saturday night.

The Eagles, ranked No. 16 in the NAIA Preseason Poll, kicks off the 2010-11 campaign with a victory to move to 1-0 and drops the Keelhaulers to 0-2 on the young season.

Gordon and Biola got off to a slow shooting start in the first half which allowed California Maritime to stick around and trail by just two points at intermission.

In the second, the Eagles started getting their shots to fall, hitting on five of nine from beyond the arc after missing all eight in the first half to begin to pull away.

Leading by four four minutes into the second half, Biola slowly pulled away with a five-point run to take its biggest lead to that point: 38-29. The Keelhaulers pulled back within four and trailed 47-43 before the Eagles used an 11-2 run highlighted by three-pointers on three-straight possessions.

Biola would lead by as many as 15 before setting on the 13-point final advantage.

Gordon was 6-of-15 from the field in the contest, adding seven rebounds, three assists and three steals in his Biola debut. Cline finished the night going 6-for-9 including a perfect 2-of-2 from beyond the arc. He pulled down 11 boards and added two steals in just 21 minutes of work.

Senior forwards Josh Miller and Andrew Schroeder each contributed 11 points with Schroeder recording eight rebounds.

The Eagles return to the court on Friday, heading up to the Bay area to take on Holy Names University in a non-conference game at 7:00 p.m.