Box Score FULLERTON, Calif. --- Biola erased the memory of one of its worst losses in program history, battling No. 17 Hope International in a thriller. However, Hope's Jeremy Kilgore hit a three-pointer with 20 seconds left as Biola's upset attempt fell just short in a 58-56 Hope win in a GSAC Quarterfinal game at Darling Pavilion in Fullerton.
The Eagles' season comes to an end at 15-16 while the Royals' historic season continues and they improve to 25-6 overall with a win in their first-ever appearance in the GSAC playoffs.
David Cline played well in what proved to be his final collegiate game, scoring 16 points and adding 10 rebounds to lead Biola. Jeremy Pope--also playing in his final game--added 11 points for the Eagles.
GSAC Player of the Year Kris Rosales led all scorers with 20 points for Hope with Kilgore adding 12 points.
The game was close throughout with nine ties and seven lead changes. The whole game came down to the final possession--a stark contrast to Hope's 71-37 win over the Eagles when the teams met in Fullerton back in January.
Trailing by five with just under six minutes to go, Biola rallied as Cline hit a jumper and Pope followed with a layup on the next possession to cut it to one. Rosales stretch it back to three with a jumper with 2:59 left, but Mike Kurtz tipped-in a missed shot by Cline to make it a one-point game with 2:24 to go and--two possessions later--Cline made one of two free throws with 1:21 left to tie the game at 54-54.
Biola managed to get the rebound on Cline's second miss, but Rosales got a steal and was fouled by Dakota Anderson, who was whistled for a questionable intentional foul. The Eagles dodged a bullet as Rosales hit just one of two free throws and Hope missed the shot on the ensuing possession, then turned it over after an offensive rebound.
Biola came down to the other end and Zack Zaragoza took an open three, but it just missed long. He scored the rebound, handed it off to Cline who took it to the hoop and was fouled with 29 seconds left. Cline came through in the clutch, making both free throws to put Biola up 56-55.
Hope came back down the other way and Kilgore quickly launched a three-pointer which hit nothing but the bottom of the net to put the Royals back on top with 20 seconds left. Out of the timeout, Pope ran down some time and drove to the hoop, missing the layup. Zaragoza and Cline had chances at put-backs, but rattling out and Hope tipped the rebound out as the horn sounded.
Biola got off to a great shooting start in the first half, shooting 50 percent (12-of-24) while holding Hope to just 37.9 percent shooting (11-of-29). However, in the second half, Biola went cold, connecting on jus t8-of-28 (28.6 percent) while the Royals shot 41.4 percent (12-of-29).
Biola stayed in the game by holding a commanding 41-30 rebounding advantage, but committed 17 turnovers to Hope's 11.
In the first half, Biola got off to a hot start, hitting four of its first seven shots and jumping out to a quick 10-4 lead six minutes in. Hope rallied back over the next few minutes, using a 15-4 run to go up 19-14 near the halfway point. But the Eagles answered back with a long 15-4 run of their own, to go back up by six at 29-23 with 2:23 left. Hope rallied down the stretch to make it a two-point game at 31-29 at the half.
In the second half, the Royals tied the game with a quick bucket, but Biola responded with an 8-2 run capped by a three-pointer from Dakota Anderson to take back a six-point lead at 39-33, three minutes in.
Hope scored the next six points to tie the game and eventually took back the lead on a three-pointer by Jeremy Kilgore which made it 48-47 with 9:27 to go in the game. That was part of an 11-3 run by the Royals, putting them up by five with 5:59 to go and setting up the thrilling finish.
The Eagles finish below .500 for just the third time in Dave Holmquist's 33 seasons at the helm. The last time Biola was below .500 was with an identical record of 15-16 in 2006-07.
In the other semifinals, No. 1 Westmont rolled past No. 8 San Diego Christian 83-59, No. 3 Arizona Christian downed No. 6 The Master's 84-72 and No. 4 Concordia edged No. 5 Vanguard 97-91.
