Box Score AZUSA, Calif. – A resilient effort wasn't rewarded with a win.
Despite trailing virtually the entire game, Azusa Pacific forced overtime with a late scoring run before falling 68-57 to Point Loma on Wednesday evening.
One of the contributing factors in the defeat was the Cougars shooting effort. Azusa Pacific connected on 31.1 percent (23-for-74) of their field goal attempts; a season low shooting percentage. Conversely the Cougars defense had one of their best performances of the year as the Sea Lions connected on just 20 of their 56 attempts (35.7 percent).
Azusa Pacific's low block effort was solid as they tied their season high by grabbing 51 rebounds and holding a plus-11 edge on the glass.
"We weren't crisp on the offensive end all night. No matter what line-up we put out there we couldn't find our rhythm," said head coach T.J. Hardeman. "I was pleased with how rebounded and how we played defense but we clearly needed to shoot better than what we did."
Kelly Hardeman had a team high 14 points while grabbing a game best 18 rebounds. It was her 10th double-double of the season. Katie Powell was the only other player in double figures for the home team as the senior scored 13 points.
The Azusa Pacific offense was clicking early as they made their first three field goal attempts. Despite the early good indicator the Cougars went cold. After making four of their first six shots they missed 10 straight. The Sea Lions were equally as chilly from the field as the Cougars held a 9-8 lead for nearly five minutes. Point Loma took their first on a pair of Riley Abraham free throws with 10:41 left in the half.
Point Loma continued to increase their lead as they went in front 28-18 after a Madison West three-pointer with 4:52 left until halftime. Despite their largest deficit of the evening, three-pointers on back-to-back possessions by Powell brought the Cougars to within 28-24 with just under four minutes left until the halftime horn. That four-point spread was as close as the home team came in the final minutes of the first half.
During the opening 20 minutes, Point Loma was aided by an 11-for-13 effort from the foul line while the Cougars hit two of their four shots at the charity stripe.
For a majority of the second half the Sea Lions kept Azusa Pacific at arm's length until the last minutes of the frame. Trailing 45-38 with just over nine minutes on the clock, the Cougars scored six straight to pull within one point on a Maggie Dumphy field goal with 7:34 left in the contest. However, the visitors were able to stretch their lead. Azusa Pacific connected on one field goal over the next six-plus minutes as the Sea Lions stretched their lead to 55-48.
The home squad had one final push left in them as they forced overtime by scoring the final seven points of regulation. Elena Ala started the 7-0 spurt with a lay-up with a minute left. After forcing a Sea Lion turnover, Maggie Dumphy hit a lay-up 13 seconds later. Point Loma turned the ball over once again to step-up late game heroics for Azusa Pacific. On their final possession the Cougars worked the ball around the perimeter, to set-up Miriam Zabinsky for the game-tying three-pointer with 15 ticks.
On Point Loma's ensuing opportunity Amy Ogren missed a jumper and a desperation heave at the buzzer didn't fall for the Cougars.
Zabinsky made the first field goal of the overtime but it was the only shot Azusa Pacific would hit in the five-minute period. Point Loma scored the final 13 points of the stanza to grab the victory.
Point Loma's Sydney Tonack led the way with a 14-point evening. Madison West and Roya Rustamzada each tallied 13-point efforts.
The Cougars go right back to the home hardwood as they welcome Dixie State for a 1:00 p.m. contest.
