Box Score LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Five players scored in double-figures and Biola overcame a 15-point first-half deficit to record its sixth-straight win over GSAC rival Concordia University with an 80-70 win on Saturday night at Chase Gymnasium.
Biola improves to 15-13 on the season with the win--its third in the last four games--and moves to 5-7 in GSAC play. Concordia dips to 16-10 overall and to 5-7 in conference action.
Bailey had a banner night to lead Biola, hitting 5-of-6 from the field including both three-point attempts while adding six rebounds and two steals.
Jeremy Pope and David Cline each added 13 points for the Eagles with Zack Zaragoza adding 11 and Cody Wittick contributing 10. Two other Biola players came close to double-figures as Dakota Anderson scored nine points (and added seven assists) and Mike Kurtz scored eight.
Biola shot a season-high 56.9 percent (29-of-51) and matched a season-best with nine three-pointers made.
Biola got off to an incredibly slow start in the game, falling victim to poor shooting and too many turnovers. Concordia used a pair of nine-point runs to open up a 15-point lead at 35-20 on a three-point play by Peter Smith with 7:15 to go in the half.
Biola came alive and responded with a 13-2 run over the next four minutes, cutting the Concordia lead to 37-33 with 3:08 to go in the half. After the teams traded buckets over the final few minutes, Concordia headed to the locker room clinging to a 42-39 lead.
But the second half belonged to Biola. After an early bucket by Tim Harris made the Concordia lead five, Biola answered back with a three-pointer by Pope, a defensive stand and another three-pointer by Anderson to take its first lead of the game at 45-44 just over one minute in.
After the teams went back and forth over the next three minutes, Biola used a 9-0 run capped by a Zaragoza three to go up 57-50 with 13:42.
Concordia answered right back with an eight-point run to take the lead back with the 10:20 mark on a three by Harris.
But Biola put the game away with an impressive 15-0 run over the next five minutes to take a commanding 72-58 lead with 5:08 to go.
Concordia chipped away at the lead and using full-court pressure over the final five minutes, cut the lead to six on a jumper by Jywrell Wilson with 33 seconds left. But after DeLaun Frazier missed a wide-open three-pointer with 27 seconds left, Zaragoza hit a pair of free throws to seal the victory for Biola.
The victory moves Biola into a three-way tie for fourth place in the GSAC with Concordia and Vanguard. The team which finishes fourth hosts an opening round GSAC tournament game against the fifth-place team.
The Eagles close out the regular season next week, traveling first to Phoenix to take on GSAC newcomer Arizona Christian University on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time.
