The Cougars, who are ranked No. 3 in the NAIA Preseason Poll, used a 13-4 run to close the first half and take a 28-16 lead at halftime. Out of the break, they continued to run away from the Golden Eagles by employing a 14-0 sprint to open up a 42-16 advantage. The rest of the game was academic.

Junior forward Lance Soderberg led Azusa Pacific with 15 points and 6 rebounds while senior guard Larry English added 13 points, thanks in part to a trio of 3-point baskets.

Defensively, the Cougars were extremely sharp, frustrating Cal State L.A.'s inside game and holding the Golden Eagles to a paltry 22% (13-for-58) shooting.

"Our centers, Brice Prather and Erik Soderberg, did a nice job of frustrating their cutters and not allowing their big men to set up where they wanted," said Cougar coach Bill Odell. "It was a good defensive effort all the way around."

Azusa Pacific led the game wire-to-wire after English opened play with a trey. The Cougars moved out to an 11-4 lead before Cal State L.A. rallied to within 3 at 15-12 following a DeJesus Brown lay-up. English and Spencer Foster then combined for 10 points of the Cougars' next 12 points as Azusa Pacific finished off the first half with a run that allowed them to take control of the game.

All 13 Cougars played. Erik Soderberg dropped in a career-high 10 points off the bench. Sophomore guard Josh Dillon chipped in 4 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals in just 16 minutes of play.

"Josh gave us a real nice spark today," said Odell. "I started him in the second half because he was making things happen on both offense and defense."

Cal State L.A. was paced by Jon Folonis' 12 points, 10 of which came in the second half.

With the victory Azusa Pacific improves to 4-0 on the season, its best start since opening the 1997-98 NAIA Final Four campaign at 7-0. Cal State L.A. falls to 1-1.