Box Score OCEANSIDE, Calif. --- No. 13 Biola overcame a 15-point deficit and closed the gap late, but could not pull out the victory in the end, suffering its first loss of the year in an 85-78 defeat at No. 20 Cal State San Marcos on Wednesday night at MiraCosta College in Oceanside.
The Eagles fall to 4-1 on the season while the Cougars improve to 3-1 with two wins against NAIA Top 15 teams.
Mike Kurtz scored a team-high 21 points including 15 in the second half to pace the Biola offense while David Cline had a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double. Zack Zaragoza added 16 points with Cody Wittick scoring 13 points and adding eight assists.
Biola, which came into the game averaging just 15 fouls committed through the first four games, was whistled for 26 in the contest. That put Cal State San Marcos on the line 35 times, converting 26 of those attempts.
Biola fell behind early as Jacob Ranger scored a three-pointer 22 seconds into the game and never looked back. Cal State San Marcos quickly stretched the lead to 14 at 23-9 just over the halfway point. Biola quickly used a 9-2 run to pull back to within seven, but allowed a CSUSM run of 10-2 run to take its largest lead of the game at 35-20 with 5:19 to go in the half.
The Eagles finished the half strong and opened the second with a quick run, pulling back to within four at 45-41. Biola used a 19-8 run which spanned the half with Zaragoza bookending the run with three-pointers.
Biola stuck around for the next 15 minutes, getting to within two on a pair of occasions, but just could not get any closer. Leading by four at 68-64 with 5:42 left, Cal State San Marcos' Jose Rivera hit a big three-pointer to stretch the lead to seven. Biola would get no closer than five the rest of the way.
Despite Kurtz' 21 points, Biola was outscored 36-24 in the paint. In addition, the Eagles committed a season-high 24 turnovers leading to 30 CSUSM points.
Biola returns to action on Saturday, traveling to Carson to face NCAA Division II Cal State Dominguez Hills in a 1:00 p.m. match at the Torodome.
