COSTA MESA, Calif. -- Sparked by a rare Beth Centlivre 3-pointer, the NAIA's No. 23-ranked Azusa Pacific scored 8 straight points midway through the second overtime to finally put away Vanguard and post a 96-83 double-overtime GSAC victory before a standing-room crowd of 800 in -- The Pit -- Saturday night.
 
With the win, the Cougars stay even with Fresno Pacific for first place in the GSAC, even though that first-place spot was continuously on the line throughout tonight's see-saw game.
 
All-American Jacqueline Godoy scored 31 points, including 25 after halftime, to go along with 8 steals and 7 assists to lead Azusa Pacific's fast-paced offense and high-pressure defense, both of which the Cougars needed tonight.
 
Behind the play of All-GSAC center Kelly Boeke, Vanguard moved out to a 15-point lead at 30-15 with 6 minutes left in the first half.  However, the Cougars, who were struggling from the floor, finally got some shots to fall, which in turned allowed them to apply their full-court pressure defense.  As a result, they began to rally, cutting the deficit to 6 at 36-30 by the break and then continuing with a 47-21 run to take a seemingly commanding 62-51 lead with 5:31 left in the game.
 
The Lions committed 10 turnovers in a 10-minute span that stretched across both halves.  Godoy, who had 3 steals in that time, led the charge back by turning that 30-15 deficit into a 41-40 Cougar lead on a lay-up with 15:48 to play in regulation.  Azusa Pacific continued its defensive onslaught, forcing Vanguard into another 8 turnovers that allowed the Cougars to build what seemed to be an insurmountable 11-point lead on a Centlivre steal and subsequent lay-up with 5:31 left in the regulation.
 
Vanguard, however, settled its play and then caught fire, erasing the entire 11-point hole in just 4 minutes and 13 seconds and tied the game at 63-63 on Erin Edmiston's 4-point play with 1:15 left.  Azusa Pacific's Catherine Solorio attempted a 3-point shot from the right wing with 9 seconds left, but it was short and the game went into overtime.
 
The Cougars' who hadn't made a field goal since Centlivre's lay-up at the 5:31 mark of the first half, finally converted a field goal attempt on Stephanie Patten's lay-up to pull within 1 at 72-71 with 2:15 remaining in the first OT.   Godoy's driving baseline lay-up with 31 seconds left knotted the score at 76-76 to force a second OT.
 
Godoy opened the second overtime by converting a conventional 3-point play and the Cougars never looked back.  In fact, the team that made just 2 field goals in nearly 12 minutes of play to close the second half and an entire overtime period, then made 3 consecutive shots in just 31 seconds, thanks to Centlivre's 3-pointer (only her fourth of the season and ninth in the past 3 seasons) and consecutive Lion turnovers, to finally move away from Vanguard and collect the win.
 
Patten finished with 22 points, thanks to a 14-for-16 effort at the free throw line, to go along with 9 rebounds.  Solorio, who came into the night as Azusa Pacific's leading scorer, finished with 15 points after tallying just 1 point in the first half.
 
The Cougars were sharp at the charity stripe, making 33-of-40 attempts, and had a huge disparity over Vanguard, which was just 6-for-12 at the line.
 
With the win, the Cougars improve to 21-7 overall, 15-4 in the GSAC.  Vanguard falls to 16-10 overall, 13-7 in the GSAC.