Box Score SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Looking to play the unwelcomed guest at a place where they have traditionally struggled, Azusa Pacific couldn't play the role they hoped for. 

Point Loma took the lead early and put away the Cougars in the second half for a 76-63 win on Saturday afternoon. 

The Cougars have dropped 19 of the last 22 at Point Loma since the 1996 season. Since winning consecutive games at Point Loma during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons, Azusa Pacific has now dropped back-to-back away contests against the Sea Lions. 

On Saturday Point Loma connected on 26 field goals which tied the most this season for an Azusa Pacific opponent. They were also aided by a .448 shooting percentage against a normally stingy Cougars defense. It was the second highest shooting effort Azusa Pacific has given up this year. 

"Offensively I felt like we were getting good looks and put some good shot but they weren't falling," said head coach T.J. Hardeman. "Defensively, we needed to play much better than we did. They were able to run their offense with too much ease."

Point Loma took the lead less than four minutes into the game and never trailed the rest of the way. The Cougars stayed within striking distance and after a Lauren Gilster jumper with 9:55 left in the first half, the score was knotted at 12-12. The home team went back in front by 10 on two occasions over the next several minutes before Azusa Pacific (5-4, 1-1 PacWest) cut their deficit down to single digits. The Sea Lions went into the locker room with a 37-32 lead.

After intermission the Cougars quickly cut into the Point Loma (3-6, 1-1) lead as they were down 40-37 when Kelly Hardeman nailed a shot from distance with 18:55 remaining. Azusa Pacific continue to stay close and had a possession to tie to the score but a Hardeman jumper with 13:26 didn't connect and the Sea Lions rolled from there.

The Sea Lions pushed ahead by scoring eight unanswered point as they grew a 48-46 to 56-45 with 10:43 left in the contest. Azusa Pacific was able to get as close as eight points at 58-50 but the home squad pulled away down the stretch for the win. 

The Sea Lions attack was paced by a foursome of players. Madison West had a team high 19 points on the strength of an 8-for-14 shooting night. Jessica Escorza chipped in a 16-point effort. Sydney Jones went 5-for-7 from the floor as she scored 14 points to go along with her 12 rebounds. Paula Roa came off the bench to notch 13 points. The four players accounted for two-thirds of the Sea Lions scoring.

Maggie Dumphy put together her best scoring effort of the season by scoring 16. Hardeman tallied a 12-point afternoon with all of her points coming behind the three-point line. Gilster came off the bench to score 10 points in 13 points. 

Azusa Pacific continues its five-game road swing to start PacWest play with a road a Tuesday contest at Dominican.