LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Azusa Pacific was downright offensive, perhaps not on the scoreboard but certainly on the glass. The NAIA's No. 9-ranked Cougars came up with 11 second-half offensive rebounds, including 4 in the final 4 minutes, to hang on for a 68-62 nonconference victory at Cal State Los Angeles.
 
Steve McIlwain, the smallest Cougar on the floor, was the biggest man in the clutch, scoring a team-high 14 points to go along with 4 rebounds, 2 of which came on the offensive end late in the game. In turn, McIlwain's effort led to 5 crucial points while Azusa Pacific kept the clock winding down.
 
"We were flat the whole game, and Steve's leadership at the end was crucial,ä" said Cougar coach Bill Odell. "By just doing the little things Steve's contribution was so important."
 
In a game that featured 8 ties and 15 lead changes, Azusa Pacific took the lead for good with 11:29 to play when Caleb Gervin spurred a 10-0 Cougar run by scoring 5 straight points. By the end of the run, Azusa Pacific had put Cal State Los Angeles at an arm's length with a 56-48 lead with 8 minutes remaining. The Golden Eagles rallied to within 2 points before McIlwain came up with the first of his key offensive rebounds, snagging a missed Anthony Haggins' jumper. McIlwain turned and converted a conventional 3-point play when he dropped in a baseline lay-up and was fouled by CSLA's Ndjadi Kingombe. The play put the Cougars back up by 5 at 61-56 with 3:29 remaining. The Golden Eagles never got any closer than 3 the rest of the way as McIlwain and Jeff Staniland converted 7-of-8 free throws in the final 2 minutes to clinch the win.
 
The Cougars' team effort offset a 27-point performance by Cal State Los Angeles' Ronald Johnson. Azusa Pacific out-rebounded Cal State LA, 36-33, which included a 13-7 count on the offensive end.
 
"Those were aggressive rebounds," added Odell. "It wasn't necessarily our big guys, it was everybody. That's a key for us to be successful, everything has to be balanced, not just our scoring.ä
 
All-American John Bourne added 13 points and 7 rebounds. Gervin finished with 9 points and 3 assists, while Staniland registered 8 points, all at the line, and another 3 assists. Senior center Gary Dredge collected 6 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
 
Azusa Pacific made 4 of its first 6 shots, including a pair of 3-pointers, to jump out to a 12-4 lead less than 5 minutes into the game. However, the Golden Eagles answered with an 8-0 run of their own to knot the score at 12-12. From there the 2 teams traded leads 9 times until Azusa Pacific settled for a 34-33 advantage at the half. The Cougars knocked down 6-of-11 attempts from 3-point arc in the first half, paced by McIlwain, who had 7 first-half points thanks to a pair of treys.
 
With the victory, Azusa Pacific improves to 11-2 overall while Cal State Los Angeles falls to 3-6. The Cougars return to action on Wednesday (Jan. 2) when they return to GSAC play by hosting Fresno Pacific at 7:30 p.m. in the Felix Event Center.