TURLOCK, Calif. -- Dennis Vanzant scored a game-high 22 points and Ric Reed followed with 20 as Azusa Pacific used a 33-13 run to close out the game and beat North Park (Ill.), 74-53, in the opening game of the Cal State Stanislaus Tournament in Turlock, Friday evening.

The Cougars, who held a comfortable 9-point lead at 31-22 at halftime, nearly squandered the entire cushion, allowing the Vikings to rally to within 1 at 41-40 midway through the second half.  Azusa Pacific, however, locked down the Vikings and went on a torrid pace to run away for the 21-point victory.

"I was really pleased with our defense," said Azusa Pacific coach Cliff Hamlow, whose Cougars, for other than the first 10 minutes of the second half, held the Vikings to just 34 points in 30 minutes of play.  Jim Hargeseimer led North Park with 17 points, and Earl Dorsey added 12.

Both Vanzant and Reed shot 10-for-20 from the field, and junior forward Mike Leatherby chipped in with 11 points to aid the Cougar cause. 

With the victory, the Cougars move to 7-2 on the season, and will face tournament host Cal State Stanislaus in the championship game, Saturday at 9 p.m.  The Warriors downed Cal State Dominguez Hills in tonight's nightcap.  The Cougars, who captured this tournament's first-ever championship by knocking off the Warriors in the 1968 title game, beat Cal State Stanislaus in 1969 third-place game, the only two previous meetings between APC and Stanislaus.