AZUSA, Calif. --- Biola's normally stout defense faltered for the first time this season and the offense didn't help out too much as the Eagles suffered their first loss of the year, losing 71-57 to arch-rival and No. 9-ranked Azusa Pacific in a GSAC game on Tuesday night at the Felix Event Center.
The Eagles, ranked No. 16 in the first edition of the NAIA 2010-11 rating, drop to 7-1 and to 2-1 in GSAC play. The ninth-ranked Cougars improve to 6-2 and to 2-1 in conference action.
Biola received 17 points from senior Curtis Eatmon but it wasn't enough to overcome a season-low 36 percent shooting night. The Eagles were able to hit just 21 of 58 attempts from the field and shot a paultry 50 percent from the charity stripe, converting just 10 of 20 shots from the free throw line.
Even Eatmon wasn't exempt from the Eagles' shooting woes, hitting just 5-of-17 from the field, but adding five points from the free-throw line. David Cline added 11 points and four rebounds, hitting 4-of-5 attempts.
Biola got off to a sluggish start as the Cougars scored the first seven points of the game and didn't look back. The Eagles hung close over the next five minutes, trailing by just five after a three-point play by Cline with a 11:50 to play.
Azusa began to pull away with a 13-4 run over the next five minutes to go up 14. The Cougars would go up by 15 late in the first period before Biola cut the lead to 10 at the half with a late three-point play by Eatmon.
Azusa Pacific once again opened the second half with a quick run, using a 16-3 run over the first 4:30 to take a commanding 55-32 lead. Biola responded with an 11-0 run to return to within 12 points only to see the Cougars answer with another quick six points to end the threat. The Eagles could not get closer than 12 the rest of the way.
Reggie Owens scored 15 points and had 13 rebounds to pace the Cougars, who shot 46 percent in the contest. Azusa Pacific hit seven three-pointers including a pair from Danny Nugent, who scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
The APU victory is its second-straight in the series after an overtime win at Biola in the conference semifinals last season. Biola had won the previous three-straight including two in Azusa.
The Eagles look to snap back after its first loss of the season this Saturday (Nov. 11), hosting Vanguard University in a GSAC contest beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Chase Gymnasium.
