RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- After a brilliant 22-game stretch that included victories over every opponent but the NAIA’s top-ranked Vanguard, the NAIA’s No. 12-ranked Azusa Pacific lost for just the third time since November, dropping a 91-79 GSAC contest to California Baptist Friday night in Riverside.
Although the Cougars worked to within 5 points 3 separate times in the second half, it was the first half that did them in. A well-executed, collapsing California Baptist zone turned 17 Azusa Pacific turnovers into 19 first-half points, while the Cougars scored only 4 points off 3 Lancer turnovers in the opening half. Azusa Pacific led by 3 at 29-26 with just over 5 minutes to play in the half, but California Baptist’s Erin Greenberg hit a 3-pointer to tie it at 29-29 and spark an 18-5 run that put the Cougars on the trailing end of a 44-34 halftime score.
Junior guard Sarah Leathers knocked down her second 3-pointer of the game to start the second half, and Monica Somers put back a Leathers miss from long distance to cut the lead in half to 44-39 in the first minute of the second half. However, Nicole Davis sparked a 9-point run with the first of her 21 second-half points to push the lead back out to 53-39 with 16:06 remaining in the game.
The Cougars were not ready to go away, storming right back with a 12-3 run of their own, highlighted by 3-pointers from junior guard Kate Shipp and Kristy Urbick that pulled the Cougars back to within 5 at 56-51 with 13:34 to play. Somers answered a Davis layup with a pair of free throws, but Davis sparked another 6-point run, and the Lancers led by at least 7 points the rest of the way.
Davis led the way with a game-high 31 points, and she registered the rare triple-double of points, assists and steals, tallying 10 each in the latter categories to lead the Lancers to the win.
Somers posted her second straight points and rebounds double-double, finishing with 18 points and 10 rebounds to go with a team-high 7 assists. Shipp added a season-high 12 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, and she also grabbed 5 rebounds in 23 minutes of action off the bench. Leathers and Abby Johnson each added 12 points for the Cougars, with Leathers playing just 17 minutes before fouling out of the game with 2:51 left.
With the defeat, Azusa Pacific drops to 22-6 overall, 14-5 in GSAC play, while California Baptist improves to 16-12 overall, 8-11 in GSAC play. The teams could possibly square off again in the opening round of the GSAC Postseason Tournament, as the Cougars will finish no lower than third in the conference standings while the Lancers have a shot to finish sixth in the conference and set up the rematch. Azusa Pacific wraps up the regular season at home in a 5:30 p.m. contest against Biola on Monday, Feb. 26.
