Box Score ATHERTON, Calif. --- Biola rallied back from a 19-point deficit with eight minutes left, pulling to within one with 30 seconds left. However, the Eagles could not complete the monumental comeback attempt, falling 77-74 at Menlo College on Saturday night.
The Eagles end up splitting their two-game, Bay area road trip and are 5-5 on the season. The Oaks are off to their best start in program history with a perfect 10-0 record.
Adijat Adams scored a game-high 23 points, adding 13 rebounds. Angel Dorn scored a career-high 20 points off the bench with 18 coming in the second half. Dorn hit 6-of-7 from the field and added six free throws.
Biola's normally solid offense struggled to contain the Menlo offense. The Eagles allowed 77 points in the game, 19 points higher than any game this season and 31 points higher than its 46-point average. But even despite all of that, Biola rallied back and nearly pulled out an incredible win.
Playing in its second game in as many night, the Eagles got off to a slow start and trailed 14-2 six minutes into the game. Biola got its offense going and pulled back to within seven at 18-11 with 9:30 left in the half. Menlo would stretch the lead back to as many as 13 with the Oaks holding a 10-point lead at 38-28 at the break.
Menlo opened the second half the same as the first, using a 13-4 run to take a commanding 51-32 lead three minutes in. Biola was unable to get the deficit back to single-digits, but Menlo continued to pull away and still led by 19 at 66-47 with 7:46 to go. But that's when the Eagles came alive.
Dorn and Becca DeVere hit back-to-back three-pointers to quickly pull back to within 13. Dorn hit another three one minute later to bring the deficit down to nine with 5:18 to play. Dorn then converted an old-fashioned three-point play with a bucket and foul, converting the free throw to make it 66-60 with 4:27 remaining.
The Oaks ended the 13-0 run with a three-pointer but the Eagles continued to chip away and Amy Freet made it a one-possession game with a three-pointer with 55 seconds left. After the Oaks missed the front-end of a one-and-one on the other end, Dorn hit a bucket with five seconds left to make it a 73-72 game.
The Eagles fouled on the in-bounds pass but this time the Oaks hit both free throws to make it a three-point game. Biola was unable to get a shot off before time expired as Menlo held on for the three-point win.
The Eagles shot 48 percent in the game including 56.7 percent in the second half. However, the Oaks connected on 57.4 percent overall. Biola also held a 32-23 rebounding edge and had 20 free throws to Menlo's 10.
Chelsea Hill had nine points for the Eagles with Amy Freet and Becca DeVere adding seven points each.
Biola returns home to host Showtime Australia in an exhibition game on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Chase Gymnasium. The Eagles close out play before Christmas Break on Monday, Dec. 17, hosting Chapman University at 5:30 p.m.
