Box Score LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola rallied back from a late five-point deficit to tie the game late, but ended up losing in overtime, falling 74-66 to Arizona Christian University in a GSAC game on Tuesday night at Chase Gymnasium.
The Eagles fall to 12-11 on the season and drop to 2-5 in GSAC play while the Firestorm move to 14-5 and to 4-3 in the conference.
David Cline led all scorers with 22 points, recording a double-double by adding 10 rebounds on 11-of-16 shooting. Mike Kurtz was the only other Eagle in double figures, recording 14 points and nine rebounds to go along with three blocks.
The game was incredibly close throughout with 13 ties, 13 lead changes and a lead of no more than four by either team until late in regulation.
Arizona Christian looked to be pulling away late, taking a 49-48 lead with 7:41 to go. Back to back-three-pointers and a layup stretched the lead to seven at 59-52 with 5:14 on the clock. But the Eagles answered back with a three-pointer by Dakota Anderson cut the lead to four with just under five minutes left.
A minute-and-a half later, Jeremy Pope then cut the lead to two with a driving layup with 3:29 to go. But the Firestorm answered back with a three-pointer to stretch the lead back to five at 62-57 with 3:06 left.
The score would remain that way until Anderson came up clutch again, draining a deep three-pointer to make it a two-point game with 1:32 to go. Biola then made a great stop with Cline pulling down a layup, then hitting a cutting layup in the paint with under one minute left to tie the game at 62-62.
The Firestorm milked the clock on their final possession and Charles King took an off-balance runner in the lane with 27 seconds left. The ball rattled around and went off a Biola player, giving the ball back to Arizona Christian. Despite the ball appearing hitting high off the backboard and missing the rim, the officials reset the shot clock, giving the Firestorm the final possession. However, the jumper by King with two seconds left rattled off and the teams headed to overtime.
Biola started overtime strong as Kurtz hit a jumper 19 seconds in to give Biola a 64-62 lead. Arizona Christian answered back with a three-pointer--its 10th of the game--to take back the lead for good. Biola had three chances to take back the lead over the next minute but missed all three chances and Jackson Helms hit a fast break layup to make it a three-point game with 3:14 to go.
The Eagles looked to be closing the game to one on the next possession, but a dunk attempt by Cline was missed and the Firestorm got the ball back. Arizona Christian was then able to pull down three offensive rebounds after missed shots, using over 1:30 off the clock before a turnover with 1:10 left. But an offensive foul was whistled on Jeremy Pope with 42 seconds left. From there, Biola had to foul and the Firestorm hit seven free throws down the stretch while Biola hit just 1-of-4 from the field the rest of the way.
Both teams shot 41 percent, but the Eagles hit just 36 percent in the second half and connected on 2-of-9 in overtime after shooting 53 percent in the first half.
The game was Biola's first regular-season overtime home game since the 2002 season when Biola defeated Cal State LA 85-77. The Eagles played an overtime game against Azusa Pacific in the GSAC semifinals played at Biola in 2010, falling 75-74.
The Eagles begin the second half of GSAC play on Saturday, traveling to face Vanguard University (14-8, 3-4 GSAC) in a conference contest at 7:30 p.m. Biola is currently tied with three other teams in fifth place in the conference with a 2-5 GSAC record.
