LA MIRADA – Junior forward Rocky Hampton scored 16 points and added 13 rebounds as Biola held on for a 59-50 upset win over No. 14 Westmont College in a GSAC game on Tuesday night at Chase Gymnasium.
The Eagles improve to 12-4 overall with their fifth win in their last six games and move back to 3-3 in GSAC play. The Warriors, ranked No. 14 in the latest NAIA National Rankings, fall to 10-5 on the season and to 4-2 in conference action.
Biola used a huge first half to jump out to what would prove to be an insurmountable lead. The Eagles would lead by as many as 18 in the first half and went to the half lead 32-17. Biola shot 52 percent in the first 20 minutes while holding Westmont to just 24 percent. The Eagles also kept Westmont star Dan Rasp quiet through the first half, allowing him to score just three points on 1-of-7 shooting.
In the second half, the Warriors slowly began to climb back into the game getting the score under double-digits for the first time at 36-28 with 12:22 to play. Biola held a 10-point edge at 44-34 after a layup byDanny Campbell with 5:46 to go. However, Westmont continued to cut away at the lead and pulled within two at 50-48 on a jumper by Rasp with 1:18 to go.
But Biola came back down on the next possession and got an easy back-door layup from Marlon King to go back up by four. Westmont tried to respond quickly, but Josh Miller stood strong and took a charge called against Tyler Dutton to win the ball back. After a quick foul, Danny Campbell hit a pair of free throws and the Eagles would not look back.
Hampton had a great night for the Eagles, scoring 16 points, his highest point total since the middle of December. Miller and Campbell each added 12 points for the Eagles with Miller also contributing eight rebounds.
Rasp ended up leading the Warriors with 16 points including 13 in the second half, though eight of those came from the free throw line.
