FULLERTON, Calif. -- Junior forward Dennis Coutee scored a season-high 20 points and senior center Danny Rosales added 14 to lead the NAIA’s No. 4-ranked Azusa Pacific to an 88-72 victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills in the closing round of the Hope International Tournament.

The victory was Azusa Pacific’s second straight, a first this season, and gave them the championship of the tournament.

The Cougars used a 16-0 run in which Brett Michel and Ryan Dillon each made a pair of 3-point baskets to blow open the game and give the Cougars a 24-12 lead with 11:16 left in the first half.

For the second straight night, Azusa Pacific had its shooting shoes on, converting nearly 54% (28-of-52) of its shots while dropping in 11 from the 3-point arc. Azusa Pacific led 43-34 at the half, thanks in part to Coutee’s 12 points in 17 minutes.

Azusa Pacific pushed the lead to as much as 24 on a couple of occasions in the second half, the last coming on a Bryce Prather lay-up that gave the Cougars a 66-42 lead with just 11 minutes left to play.

Junior guard Larry English added 13 points to give him 24 in the past 2 games, his best back-to-back efforts of the young campaign. He also handed out a team-high 5 assists. Michel finished with 12 points and 4 assists, while Dillon added 9, all off 3-pointers.

With the victory the Cougars the move back over .500 for the first time since the season opener, improving to 4-3, while Cal State Dominguez Hills falls to 1-1.