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Biola vs. APU MBB postgame image. BU wins 86-77
77
Azusa Pacific APU 0-1,0-1 PacWest
86
Winner Biola BIO 1-1,1-0 PacWest
Azusa Pacific APU
0-1,0-1 PacWest
77
Final
86
Biola BIO
1-1,1-0 PacWest
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Azusa Pacific APU 30 47 77
Biola BIO 41 45 86

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

A Win To Begin

Biola controls the game from start to finish in PacWest-opening win over Azusa Pacific.



LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola Men's Basketball earned its first mark in the 2021 win column in a memorable and meaningful way on Saturday, controlling the contest from tip-off to buzzer against reigning PacWest Conference champions and bitter rivals, Azusa Pacific.

The Eagles dominated the painted area, outsourcing their foes down low 44-22, en route to a thrilling 86-77 win. The victory brings Biola back even at 1-1 on the year and helps the team start PacWest Conference play a perfect 1-0. APU, with just two weeks of practice under their belt, started a bit sluggish before heating up from three-point land late in the game to make it a single-digit contest. The Cougars are now 0-1 (0-1 PacWest).

"My team played tough. We played tough defense," said freshman Maximo Milovich. "That is what we do. We play tough."

For Biola, it was a great bounce back performance after a weak defensive effort in the season opener against Northwest Nazarene. Biola held APU scoreless for a four-plus minute stretch late in the first half, helping the hosts to build as wide as a 17-point lead. They achieved that 17-point surplus at the 2:57 mark in the first half on a sweet swish from deep by big man Jesse Elrod. It was one of just six triples for Biola, which focused on attacking the basket as regularly as possible in this one.
 
Biola went into the halftime room holding onto a 41-30 lead as APU shot just under 30 percent in the first 20 minutes. 

The Cougars actually managed to outscore Biola in the second half, building some momentum for the second half of this Friday-Saturday home-and-home series. APU hit nine three-point shots in the second half to power them to the 47-45 advantage in that final frame.

Thanks to solid free-throw shooting by the Eagles, the closest the Cougars ever came in the second half was within five at 79-74 with 1:10 left on the clock. BU made 7-of-10 free throws over that final 1:10 and outscored APU 7-3 in the stretch to earn the hard-fought victory.

A major rebounding advantage played a large part in the Eagles' ability to control the game from the outset. Biola finished with 46 boards, compared to just 35 from the opponents. Fourteen of those rebounds came from Alex Wright, who had a great game and recorded Biola's first double-double of the new year with 15 points to go with those boards.
 
Biola recorded nine offensive rebounds which equated to 12 second-chance points.

Michael Bagatourian led all scorers with 22 points on 9-for-22 shooting. He added seven rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals in a well-rounded effort. Chris Rossow also landed in double-digits with 16 points. He added six assists to keep up an impressive early-season average (7.5 apg).

Freshman Maximo Milovich continued to assert himself as a force for this team. His steady hand allowed him to pile on nine points and seven rebounds in 20 effective minutes off the bench.

"The coaches have really been encouraging me to go to the boards and get those rebounds," said Milovich. "I am really happy with my team. We just go one game at a time. We won today, but tomorrow is another game and we have to be good."
 
Tonight's win is number 993 for Head Coach Dr. Dave Holmquist.

Biola and APU go head-to-head again tomorrow (1/23/21) at the Felix Event Center in Azusa. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. Watch the game live at https://athletics.apu.edu/watch/?Live=130&type=Live.
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