Box Score LA MIRADA, Calif. ---
Mike Kurtz and
David Cline each scored 18 points but it was not enough for Biola which lost 67-59 to The Master's College in a GSAC game on Saturday night at Chase Gymnasium.
The Eagles fall to 11-9 on the season and to 1-3 in GSAC play while the Mustangs improve to 12-7 also sit at 1-3 in the conference.
Kurtz saw his double-double streak come to an end at four, but he finished with 18 points and four blocks on 6-of-11 shooting. Cline added 18 points and five boards while hitting 8-of-12 from the field.
The Eagles shot 44.2 percent in the game to The Master's 40 percent, but the make up of those field goals made the difference as the Mustangs hit 10 three-pointers to Biola's three. In addition, The Master's held a 38-28 rebounding advantage including a 13-4 edge on the offensive glass. That led to 11 second-chance points by the Mustangs to Biola's two.
Biola closed a relatively back-and forth first half on a 10-1 run. The run was capped by a bucket by Cline with seven seconds left, then a steal and three-pointer by Cody Wittick as time expired.
The Mustangs answered the run right back to start the second half, opening up a 10-2 edge through the first three minutes to stretch the lead back to 47-38. But the Eagles answered back again with and 11-2 run over the next four minutes capped by a three-pointer by Kyle Bailey to tie up the game at 49-49.
The Master's answered the Biola run with a three-pointer by Leif Karlberg to break the tie and go up 52-49 with 10:50 left. The Eagles were able to get it back to within one a few possessions later, but The Master's responded again with seven unanswered points and stretched the lead back to eight at 59-51 with 5:35 to go.
Biola used a five-point run to get back to within three at 59-56 with 3:10 left with all of the points coming from the free throw line. But a tough bucket by Jason Logan in the lane stretched it back to five and the Eagles could get no closer the rest of the way.
Karlberg and Logan each scored 19 points for the Mustangs.
Biola now must face one of the toughest stretches of the season, traveling to face No. 16 Hope International on Tuesday followed by a trip to take on rival Concordia on Saturday. Both games tip at 7:30 p.m.
