RE: 55 Mana, Briar Patch & an Epic Earth Team Victory!

A 55 mana cap with only Earth or Life to pick from is a tight puzzle, and going Earth for the deeper card pool makes sense. The Briar Patch thorns twist must have made every melee attack sting back. With both sides running Aurelia at level 4, did the thorns end up deciding it, or did one card just outlast the rest?