TULSA, OKLA. -- Azusa Pacific went dead in the water, blew a 13-point lead, and yet still managed to beat College (Mo.) Collage, 61-55 in overtime, in Wednesday's opening round of the 60th Annual NAIA Men's Basket ball Championships Tournament in Tulsa, Okla.
With 13:20 remaining in regulation, the No. 12-seeded Azusa Pacific appeared to have the game in hand, up 44-31, and headed for Thursday's "Sweet 1y" play. However, Columbia, which had led 14-6 in the early moments of the game, came back on a 15-0 run, holding Azusa Pacific scoreless for nearly 8 minutes (0-for-11 from the floor with 4 turnovers), to take a 46-44 lead with 6:01 left in the game.
"I felt when we put our 'sparklers' (subs) in the first half it created an intensity that changed the flow of the game," said Cougar Coach
Bill Odell, who has guided Azusa Pacific to a 134-34 record over the past seasons. "However, in the second half, we started to look at the scoreboard and allowed Columbia to take control of the game."
Junior forward
Micah Sullivan led the Cougars with 15 points, including 9 in the first half when Azusa Pacific skated out to a 34-25 halftime lead. Senior swingman Dameon Page added 14 points, none bigger than 6 in a row, the final 4 of regulation (all free throws) and the opening bucket of overtime.
The 2 teams traded basketball in the opening minute of overtime and didn't score again for 3 minutes until Trenton Jackson banked a 3-pointer from the top of the key to put the Cougars up for good at 58-55 with 52.3 seconds left.
"When you have somebody bank a 3, I guess it's not to be," said Columbia Coach Bob Burchard.
"When you hit a stud like that (the banked 3-pointer), you're supposed to win," added Columbia forward Leo Liston.
With the win, Azusa Pacific pushes its wining streak to 8 straight and improves to 29-7 on the season, just 1 why shy of the school-record 30 set by the 1993 Cougars. Columbia finishes the campaign at 27-8.
Azusa Pacific advances to the NAIA "Sweet 16" for only the second time ever, where Thursday at 10:45 am (CST) it will meet Central Washington, which upset No. 5-seed Incarnate Word, 61-58, earlier today.
