Box Score

In a game filled with intensity throughout, Fresno Pacific fell just short of a win that would have been huge for the team's playoff run, falling in the final minute to #15 Biola 55-51.

The Sunbirds came all the way back from a 13-point first half deficit to take the lead midway through the second half and the last 10 minutes would be a battle. The game was tied at 49 with a minute to play before Biola's Nate Rakestraw knocked down a three to give the Eagles a 52-49 lead and put the Sunbirds in a tough spot.

With 41 seconds left, a quick whistle put Rakestraw on the line for a one-and-one. He missed, but the rebound fell out of bounds to the Eagles. The Sunbirds then put Biola's Curtis Eatmon on the line, who made one free throw to put the Eagles up four.

Adam Kado sliced through the lane and drew a foul with 19 seconds left, making both shots to draw the team within two. Eatmon would answer with two free throws on the other end though and after FPU was unable to score, the Eagles used a full-court pass to run out the rest of the clock.

Biola improves to 23-4, 13-4 GSAC with the win while FPU drops to 16-10, 9-8 GSAC. The Sunbirds currently hold the five-seed and are now two games behind fourth-place Westmont after the Warriors hung on for a one-point win tonight vs. The Master's.

FPU took the lead with just over 10 minutes to play, when Kendall Holmes drew contact inside and sank two free throws to put the Sunbirds up 38-37. FPU had trailed 19-6 early on and 29-21 at halftime, but played with more intensity on defense as the game wore on.

With the Eagles flustered and struggling to even get a shot off, the Sunbirds made their move. Jordan Wild and Kado came up with big plays and Holmes made two buckets inside to draw the team within one before hitting the two free throws that gave FPU the lead.

Biola guard Dwight Gordon helped the Eagles regain composure, and would regain the lead for Biola with just under eight minutes left. Matt Christman answered immediately, bringing the crowd to its feet with a huge three to make it 44-43 Sunbirds, but Biola came right back with a bucket inside.

The score was stuck on 47-46 Biola as the game entered its closing minutes. A Christman three came very close to dropping during that span, but rimmed out. With 2:28 left Jerante Morgan used a quick burst to get by two defenders and draw a foul, tying the game at 47 with a free throw.

Gordon would once again give the Eagles the lead back on the other end, driving in for a layup with two minutes to play. Wild would tie the game at 49 on an incredible putback tip-in of a missed three-pointer, before the game's final minute would play out.

Morgan led the Sunbirds with 10 points, the only scorer in double figures. Wild had nine and Holmes finished with seven. FPU shot just 2-for-20 from three-point range in the loss.

Gordon and Josh Miller led Biola with 12 points each. The Eagles turned the ball over 16 times, a surprisingly high number for one of the GSAC's most steady teams, but a credit to FPU's defense.

Around the GSAC
Vanguard (H) 74, Hope International 54
#2 Concordia (H) 86, Point Loma Nazarene 52
Westmont (H) 77, The Masters 76
California Baptist (H) 67, San Diego Christian 50