Azusa Pacific has now won 32 straight over the Sunbirds who haven't beaten the Cougars since 1992. Yet much earlier in the game it appeared as if the Sunbirds were about to end a decade-and-a-half of frustration.

Fresno Pacific led by a dozen on several occasions in the first half and was still up by 12 at 44-32 three minutes into the second half. Azusa Pacific, though, whittled away at the FPU advantage and with 3:31 left in the regulation, the Cougars took their first lead since the game's opening minute on a pair of Zea free throws that put Azusa Pacific up 56-55. However, the Cougars missed 2 free throws in the final 20 seconds, and when Khalif Ford was whistled for a foul with 1 second left, Fresno Pacific's Andrew David took advantage and converted 2 free throws to tie the game at 62 and force overtime.

In the extra frame, the Sunbirds assumed a 72-69 lead on an Adrian Sanchez lay-up with just under a minute to play. On the ensuing possession, David fouled Demario Butler on a 3-point shot and Butler drained all 3 free throws to knot the game again with 47 seconds left. Jordan Farley, who put together his second straight strong showing against the Cougars, made a lay-up with 20 seconds remaining giving FPU a 74-72 lead that only set up Zea's heroics. The Cougars' best 3-point shooter calmly sank his second bomb of the night off a dish from Butler. Ford then converted 2 free throws with 4 seconds left for the final margin of victory.

Azusa Pacific, which had struggled at line throughout the night by making just 15-of-24 free throws in regulation, ironically was a perfect 8-for-8 at the charity stripe in overtime.

Junior Todd Martin enjoyed his third straight strong showing, tallying a team-highs of 16 points and 4 rebounds. Zea and Ford each scored 14 points, and Tristan King chipped in with 12, including 10 in the first half. Without King, the Cougars were a paltry 6-for-18 shooting from the floor in the first half, and its 10-point halftime hole of 40-30 could have been much worse.

As cold as Azusa Pacific was in the first half, Fresno Pacific matched that dismal performance in the second half, going 10 minutes with just 1 field goal. Following a David lay-up at 11:53 in the second half, Fresno Pacific led 49-42. Ten minutes later, the Sunbirds were down 58-55. It took a Farley trey with 1:25 left in the second half to snap the Sunbirds out of the doldrums and tie the game at 58-58.

With the victory, Azusa Pacific improves to 21-5 on the season, 11-5 in the GSAC. Fresno Pacific, which is battling for the eighth and final spot in the upcoming GSAC Postseason Tourney and currently is on the outside looking in, falls to 12-13 overall, 6-11 in the GSAC, a game behind eighth-place The Master's.