SAN DIEGO – The Cougars couldn't hold a second half led as UC San Diego rallied for a 76-71 win during the final day of the Thanksgiving Classic.
The Tritons were the only team in the four-team, two-day classic to go undefeated as they raise their overall record to 5-1 while Azusa Pacific moves to 6-2.
"UC San Diego is a good team and they were able to do enough today to earn the victory. They made us work for our shots. Give them credit," head coach T.J. Hardeman said. "Certainly it is disappointing to drop a game to an in-region non-conference opponent but to finish with six wins against regional competition is a good start."
A nip-and-tuck game throughout as the lead was in double figures only once with the teams shooting nearly identically from the floor. Azusa Pacific hit 27 field goals while shooting 42.2 percent. UC San Diego converted 28 shots on a 45.9 percent shooting effort. The Cougars left 11 points at the foul line as they went 13-for-24 (54.2 percent) from the charity stripe. UC San Diego nailed 14 of their 22 attempts (63.6 percent) of their free throws.
Azusa Pacific was led by Kelly Hardeman's 18-point, 18-rebound afternoon. It is the second straight double-double for the senior and her fourth this season. For her efforts in the event she was named to the all-tournament team.
Cydnie Jones added a 16-point effort before fouling out after 35 minutes on the court. Allison Greene and Miriam Zabinsky each scored 11 points.
The UC San Diego duo of Jamie Katuna and and Farrah Shokoor scored 20 and 19 points respectively as they accounted for just over half of the Tritons offense. Shokoor, who was named the tournament's MVP, added an 11-rebound night for good measure.
The Cougars trailed briefly early in the first quarter but finished the period on a 15-7 scoring spurt capped off by a Jones three pointer in the final seconds. After 10 minutes Azusa Pacific held a 19-12 lead. Less than a minute into the second quarter Hardeman drained a shot from behind the arc as the Cougars increased their lead to double figures. The momentum stopped their as the home team finished the half on a 17-10 scoring spree and the Cougars went into the locker room nursing a 32-29 advantage.
UC San Diego took the lead at 37-36 with 7:26 left in the third quarter on a Beth Monier three-pointer. The Tritons methodically grew that one-point margin into a 57-50 lead after the third quarter. A Katuna lay-up to start the final period upped the Tritons lead to nine points, its largest of the game, before the Cougars mounted a rally.
Azusa Pacific chipped away at their deficit and after Maggie Dumphy hit a pair of free throws with 4:25 left, the Cougars were down just 65-64. Unfortunately they couldn't pull any closer down the stretch. UC San Diego quickly got their lead back to seven points. For the Cougars efforts, they pulled within three points twice and had one possession to get closer but couldn't get the critical score.
The contest ends non-conference play for the Cougars as they begin their 20-game PacWest schedule on Thursday evening at Point Loma.
"Everything kind of resets now. A new season starts Thursday and we are certainly looking forward to the challenged of playing for a conference championship," Hardeman said.
