SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Dennis Vanzant scored 16 first-half points, and Ric Reed tossed in 22 second-half points as the Reed-Vanzant duo led Azusa Pacific to its most important victory of the year, downing Point Loma in rather convincing fashion, 80-64, Thursday night in Golden Gymnasium.

All told, Reed and Vanzant combined for 55 of the Cougars 80 points, with Reed tallying a game-high 30 on 13-for-22 shooting for his sixth 30-point effort of the season, while  Vanzant finished with 25.  

Behind Vanzant's first-half play, the Cougars moved out to 35-25 lead at halftime and from there methodically pulled away, thanks in part to Reed's torrid second half.

"Ric is amazing athlete," said APC Head Coach Cliff Hamlow, who is in his 20th season at the Cougar helm.  "He has super body control and shows good shot selection  His field goal percentage indicates that.  He has greater quickness than any player I've ever coached.  He puts a defensive man at a disadvantage."

As a team, the Cougars shot at a fine .563 (36-of-64) clip, which included an even better .588 (20-for-34) pace in the second to keep the Crusaders at bay

APC, which was making its first appearance in Golden Gymnasium since 1969 when Cal Western owned the campus (Point Loma, formerly Pasadena College, took over the campus this past summer and changed its name to Point Loma) has now won 7 straight and 14 of its past 15 games, and with the win stays in first place in the Southern Division of the NAIA District 3 at the halfway mark.  The Cougars are 18-3 overall, 5-0 in the Southern Division, while Point Loma falls to 10-9 overall, and 3-1 in the Southern Division..