WHITTIER, CALIF. -- The NAIA's No. 3-ranked Azusa Pacific used a second-half, long-distance scoring flurry to overcome a sluggish first-half and post a 93-85 victory over Southern California College in the semi-finals of the Golden State Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Postseason Tournament at Whittier College, Saturday night.

Azusa Pacific used a 33-15, 10-minute blitz to overcome an 8-point deficit early in the second half and assume a 76-67 lead with 8:16 left in the game. Redshirt freshman Corey Smith led the way back, scoring 10 of his 14 points during the Cougar comeback, thanks in part to a trio of 3-pointers, the last 2 tying the game at 58-58 (14:36) and 61-61 (13:30). The Cougars took the lead for good at 63-61 when T.J. Walker hit a running jumper in the key with 12:47 left in the game. Azusa Pacific made 13 3-pointers on the night, including 8 in the second half.

"All my life, I've been a shooter," said Smith. "I've been taking them and making them, and tonight was no different, even if it was a big game. I felt good in warm-ups, and I knew my jumper was back."

Smith had been mired in a 7-game, 7-for-35 shooting slump.

Junior Jason Boswell led the Cougars with 18 points. Walker added 17 and 8 assists. Jeremy DeVries tallied 16 points, and hit a key 3-pointer to put the Cougars up 69-65 with 10:13 left in the game.

"When I'm in the flow, I keep shooting," said Boswell, who was 5-for-7 from 3-pointers. "That always brings up the rest of my game. I was boarding (5 rebounds) and passing (4 assists) well."

SCC took a 43-40 half-time lead, thanks in part to a 12-2 run midway through the first-half which gave the Vanguards a 29-18 cushion with 7:17 left in the half. However, Azusa Pacific rallied and briefly took a 37-36 lead on a Boswell jumper at the 2:36 mark. SCC came back on a 7-0 run to reassume the lead. Justin McIntee and Terrence Wilborn led the Vanguards with 12 first-half points.

"I think our depth really helped us on defense tonight," said Odell, who used all 12 Cougars. "SCC started taking some early shots, and I felt since we were well-rested, we didn't have to force any of ours."

Azusa Pacific, which has now won 13 straight and has already clinched no worse than an at-large berth into the NAIA Championship Tournament, advances to Tuesday's (March 10) conference title game when it squares off with No. 13-ranked Biola. The Cougars won both regular-season games from Biola, 72-67 in La Mirada, and 89-76 in Azusa.

"It will be a great game between 2 great teams," noted Odell about the title match-up. "Even though both of us are already in the NAIAs, we want to keep the streak alive and go to Tulsa (host site of the NAIAs) on a hot streak."

With the win, Azusa Pacific improves to 30-4 on the season. The 30 wins ties a school record set by the 1993 Cougars. SCC finishes its season at 19-15.