MARIETTA, GA. -- Life University, the reigning NAIA national champion and currently ranked No. 4 in the nation, was pushed to the limit, faced near disaster, and then rallied to hold off No. 6-ranked Azusa Pacific to collect a 116-110 overtime victory in a match-up of 2 NAIA powers.

With the win, the Running Eagles pushed their home court winning streak to an amazing 74 in a row. But with 8 seconds left in regulation, it appeared that Azusa Pacific was about to snap the NAIA's longest current winning streak.

The Cougars could have clinched the win, but missed 2 free throws in the final 17 seconds to keep Life in the game.

"If we could have made either free throw we would have won," said Cougar coach Bill Odell.

As it was, Cougar freshman Corey Smith (San Dimas, Calif./San Dimas HS) made 1 of 2 free throws with 8 seconds left to cap an incredible Azusa Pacific rally by giving the Cougars a 98-95 cushion. After a time-out, however, Life dribbled the length of the court and when Demitrius Palmer banked home a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 2 seconds left, the Running Eagles found new life, so to speak, forcing overtime at 98-98.

In the extra frame Smith again buried a pair of free throws to knot the score at 108-108 with 1:28 left in OT. Life on its next possession, however, took the lead for good when Antwon Hall connected on a jumper with 1:23 to play. Hall then made 4 straight free throws in the final 23 seconds to ice the game.

Hall finished with 26 points, including 11 in overtime and 13 in the first half when he guided the Running Eagles to a comfortable 48-34 half-time lead. Azusa Pacific made just 10-of-34 shots and committed 10 turnovers in the first half to dig itself a monumental hole. Things didn't get much better to start the second half, as Life opened with a 12-6 run to assume a commanding 60-40 lead at the 16:24 mark of the second half.

However, Azusa Pacific caught fire from the outside, making 7 treys in the final 15 minutes and then holding Life scoreless for over 2 minutes in the waning moments to mount a furious come back. The Cougars got their first lead of the game at 96-95 when Micah Sullivan (Ellensburg, Wash./Ellensburg HS) hit a jumper with 46 seconds left in regulation. Smith then made his 2 free throws for the 3-point lead that set up Palmer's banking 3-pointer heroics.

"The game was something else," added Odell. "It was a great game. We couldn't do anything in the first half. Their defense would not allow us to run our offense, and I think we were a little intimidated at the start. But Jeremy (DeVries) and Corey (Smith) just lit it up in the second half."

Senior Jeremy DeVries (Mt. Vernon, Wash./Mt. Vernon HS) paced Azusa Pacific with a career-high 27 points, including 19 in the second half when he made 5-of-6 3-pointers (the Cougars were 9-for-14 in the second half from the 3-point arc). T.J. Walker (Modesto, Calif./Modesto HS) added 20 points, 17 after intermission. Smith finished with 14 off the bench, all in the second half.

The loss snaps Azusa Pacific's 7-game winning streak and drops the Cougars to 14-3 overall. Life improves to 12-1 on the season. Additionally, the loss marks the first time in 63 games and 9 seasons that Azusa Pacific scored over 100 points and still lost the game.