Box Score LAIE, Hawaii – You can't get a hat trick without the first goal.
Playing the first of three games on the Hawaiian Islands, Azusa Pacific continued their dominance over BYU-Hawaii with a resounding 68-46 win on Thursday evening.
In four all-time meetings with the Seasiders, Azusa Pacific is a perfect 4-0. The win also halted a school-record seven-game winning streak for BYU-Hawaii. With the win over the PacWest's second-place team, the Cougars jumbled up second-place through fifth-place in the league standings. There are four teams within one-and-half games of each other in the standings.
The top scoring duo of Kelly Hardeman and Miriam Zabinsky were on-point in the first- and second-half respectively in leading the Cougars. Hardeman scored all of her 21 points in the first half while Zabinsky scored 20 of her game high 25 points in the second stanza. Cydnie Jones also scored in double figures with a 12-point performance.
Defensively the Cougars forced BYU-Hawaii into 23 turnovers and just a 35.6 (16-for-45) field goal percentage. Azusa Pacific converted those turnovers into a 20-11 scoring edge off turnovers. The 46 points by the Seasiders were the fewest by an Azusa Pacific opponent this season.
"This was our best defensive effort of the season. We have had other games this season when we've play a good half but tonight we played a complete game of solid defense," said head coach T.J. Hardeman.
In the opening half the Cougars rode the hot hand of Hardeman. The junior's 21-point half paced Azusa Pacific (12-7, 8-4 PacWest) as they were tested throughout but never trailed. Azusa Pacific scored the first six points of the game and continued that lead until the Seasiders knotted the score at 17-17 with 12:09 left until halftime.
The game was tied briefly as the Cougars scored the next six points and kept the contest at a two possession edge for the next several minutes. With just under four minutes left Whitney Fieldsted brought BYU-Hawaii (12-6, 9-3) with one point at 29-28 but Azusa Pacific wouldn't relinquish their lead. A quick 6-3 scoring spurt concluded the half as the Cougars held a 35-31 lead at intermission.
Azusa Pacific continued their solid play to start the second half. They scored 14 of the half's first 18 points as they held the Seasiders to just a two made field on their first eight shots. In addition, the Cougars forced four turnovers on the Seasiders first 12 possessions. The home team continued to lag behind an outstanding second half effort by the Cougars.
BYU-Hawaii couldn't get their deficit under double digits and the Cougars just grew their lead.
The Cougars continue their Island trip with a Saturday contest against Hawaii Pacific, the PacWest's only undefeated team.
