AZUSA, CALIF. -- It may go down as the greatest upset in GSAC history - regular season or postseason. Point Loma Nazarene, which had won just 3 GSAC games over the past 2 seasons, upset 7-time defending GSAC champ and the NAIA's No. 4-ranked Azusa Pacific, 78-77, in overtime in the opening round of the GSAC Men's Basketball Postseason Tournament in Azusa Wednesday night.
Down 73-70 with 2:35 left in OT, Point Loma went on a 7-0 run highlighted by Travis Lindstrom's driving lay-up with 1:17 left to give the Crusaders a 75-73 cushion that they would not relinquish.
Lindstrom, who led Point Loma with a team-high 20 points, then canned a pair of free throws with 45 seconds left to put the Crusaders out of reach. Azusa Pacific's T.J. Walker attempted a hurried 3-pointer that came up short and Kevin Daley's rebound dunk with 1 second left was too little too late for Azusa Pacific.
This marks the first time in the 7-year history of the GSAC Postseason Tourney history that a No. 8 seed knocked off the top-seeded team. Point Loma is on quite a run. Last Saturday, the Crusaders defeated No. 13-ranked Biola.
Point Loma seemingly had the upset wrapped up toward the end of regulation, holding a 67-61 lead with 42 seconds left. However, Walker canned a trey and then Jerome Joseph made 1 free throw after being fouled when he stole the ball on a press. Though he missed second attempt, Justin Leslie put back the miss to tie the score at 67-67 with 23 seconds. Point Loma's Simon Phipps then missed a 10-foot turnaround jumper at the end of regulation to require OT.
Reserve Brian Frey canned a trey to open the extra frame, giving Point Loma a quick 70-67 lead. However, the Cougars came back with 6 straight points, and led 73-70 after a Walker bucket. That's when Lindstrom took the game into his hands.
Darnell Cherry added 18 points for Point Loma to go along with 8 rebounds.
Daley paced Azusa Pacific with a game-high 25 points, including 17 after halftime. Walker finished with 22 points and a team-high 7 rebounds.
The Crusaders led by 20 points (40-20) with 2:44 left in the first half. The Cougars missed 20 of their first 28 shots to fall into a deep hole, and only an 11-2 run to end the half saved Azusa Pacific from floundering into the locker room at the half. Nonetheless, Point Loma held a 42-31 lead at the break. Phipps led the Crusaders' first-half charge with 11 points, while Cherry added 10.
Azusa Pacific shot just 42% (28-for-67) from the field and committed 17 turnovers. Both numbers are the most by the Cougars since suffering their last defeat, an 84-76 loss at So. Cal College when they shot 35% (23-for-65) and committed 18 turnovers.
