Box Score COSTA MESA, Calif. --- Biola overcame a 12-point deficit with under five minutes to play to force overtime, then held on in extra time to defeat Vanguard 86-84 in a wild GSAC game on Saturday night.
The Eagles (15-7, 5-5 GSAC) trailed by double-figures through much of the second half, but a late 12-0 run capped by a three-pointer by Chase Adams tied the game 75-75 with 1:35 to play. After Vanguard (13-8, 5-5 GSAC) took an 80-78 lead on a three-point play by Chris Pynch with nine seconds left, Davey Hopkins went coast to coast and hit a layup with 1.6 seconds remaining to tie the game and send it to overtime.
The teams went back and forth in the overtime period with Vanguard holding a one-point lead on a bucket by Taylor Kelly with 1:42 to play. After both teams missed opportunities, the Lions milked the clock still clinging to the one-point lead. However, after a last-second shot was missed a foul was called on the rebound, giving Hopkins a pair of free throws with 10.6 seconds left.
Hopkins hit the two free throws and a runner by Vanguard on the other end was missed. Biola would hit one of the final two free throws with 1.6 seconds left to hold on for the exciting win.
The Eagles dominated two of the game's major statistics, shooting 55% from the field and out-rebounding the Lions 49-23. However, Vanguard made up for it by forcing 25 Biola turnovers while committing 11 and connecting on a season-high 12 three-pointers.
Aside from scoring the first five points of the game, Biola was never really in it, trailing through much of the game. After overcoming a pair of early deficits, the Eagles pulled to within three with 2:11 left in the first, but a three-pointer as the clock wound down gave Vanguard a 44-38 lead at the break.
The Lions would quickly stretch the lead to 10 with a pair of three-pointer to open the second half, then added another to take a 12-point lead three minutes in. Biola would not get any closer than seven and trailed by 13 on three different occasions before rallying late.
Andre Murillo finished with 19 points on perfect 9-of-9 shooting night, adding 12 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the year. Hopkins recorded his first with 14 points and 13 rebounds, contributing six assists, two steals and a block as well.
Chris Rayburn led all scorers with 23 points for the Lions.
The wild contest came as no surprise to Biola fans who have seen three such finishes over the last three trips to Vanguard.
Last season, Biola trailed by four with 27 seconds left, but tied the game on free throws. However, Vanguard had a chance to win in regulation but missed a pair of free throws with no time left. In the overtime period, the Eagles overcame another late four-point deficit and held on for a two-point win.
Two years ago, Biola trailed by one with 43 seconds to go after a three-pointer gave Vanguard a late lead after trailing by as many as 11 in the second half. The Lions had the ball with four seconds left when Rocky Hampton stole the in-bounds pass at midcourt and went all the way to the hoop for the winning layup as time expired.
The win was the third-straight for Biola--the last two of which have been by two points or fewer. At 5-5 in GSAC play, the Eagles are just two games out of the four-way, first-place tie atop the crowded conference leaderboard.
Biola has a chance to make up more ground on Tuesday, hosting one of those teams tied for first: Azusa Pacific University. The Biola/APU rivalry goes back quite a ways and is considered to be one of the best small college rivalries in the country. However, this will be the last time the two teams meet in a GSAC contest as Azusa Pacific leaves the NAIA after this season.
The game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. A limited number of tickets for the game still remain and can be purchased through the Biola Bookstore beginning Monday morning.
