Box Score AZUSA, Calif. – There was too much fun being had on the court and in the stands to allow this game to be decided in regulation.
In a game that featured nine ties and six lead changes, and an end of regulation three-pointer, Azusa Pacific prevailed 92-84 in one of the best basketball games played in the 15 year history of the Felix Event Center.
The largest crowd for an Azusa Pacific women's basketball game in recent memory watched the PacWest's biggest rivals battle to the bitter end.
"We have talked all year about playing with energy and enthusiasm the entire game. When we do that we are hard to beat," said head coach T.J. Hardeman. "We wanted to be the aggressor tonight and while we didn't do a perfect job of that tonight we were able to do it a majority of the time. In overtime we knew that everyone was tired but we wanted to get after it."
Kelly Hardeman posted her 13th double-double of the year with a 26-point, 12-rebound evening while playing all but one of the game's 45 minutes. During the second half she recorded her 130th career block which broke the school record previously held by Jessica Herman.
Cydnie Jones scored a season high 25 points and corralled a team high 14 rebounds. It is the junior's sixth double-double of the season. Miriam Zabinsky went for nine points and 12 rebounds while Maggie Dumphy chipped in a 12-point contest.
"Cydnie was phenomenal tonight. She is getting better and better at directing our offense on the floor and she continues to get after it on defense," Hardeman said.
The Cougars held California Baptist at bay the first eight minutes of the contest as they raced out to a 21-8 edge. Azusa Pacific forced the visitors into seven turnovers while holding the opposition to just three made baskets on eight attempts. However, the Lancers responded with an 18-3 scoring spurt as they took a 26-23 lead with 8:13 left until intermission.
Over the next four minutes the score was tied four times and the lead exchanged hands three times before the Cougars pulled away in the closing moments of the first half. With the score knotted at 31-31 with 4:54 until the halftime horn, Azusa Pacific finished the frame on a 9-3 scoring spurt as they took a 40-34 edge at the break.
During the opening frame the Cougars hit six of their nine three-point attempts in helping them build their six-point lead. Azusa Pacific (17-9, 13-6 PacWest) nearly equaled its complete game scoring output from the game at California Baptist two weeks ago when they scored 48 points in the 20-point defeat.
Coming out of the break the Cougars continued to hold their lead despite an early effort by California Baptist (21-5, 14-4) to grab control. Late in the frame Azusa Pacific held a seemingly comfortable 76-66 edge with 3:33 left. However, the Lancers ended the game on a 14-4 scoring run highlighted by their final bucket of regulation. Kamille Diaz hit her seventh three-pointer on just 10 attempts with two seconds left to send the game to overtime at 80-80. California Baptist never led during the second half.
"Once that shot went in I was so mad but I knew we could come out in the overtime and get things done," Kelly Hardeman said. "This is such a good win for us and it could do a lot for us as we head towards the postseason."
During the extra session the Lancers held a slim margin for nearly the first four minutes until the Cougars grabbed the lead when Jones hit a running lay-up with 1:06 remaining which put her squad in front 85-84. The game was still in doubt. Diaz missed a lay-up on the Lancers next opportunity then a turnover gave the ball back to Azusa Pacific. Hardeman sunk one of two foul shot with 34 ticks left which made the score 86-84.
California Baptist still had an opportunity but Diaz missed a three-pointer with 27 seconds left and Hardeman proceeded to hit two more foul shots a seconds later. Azusa Pacific sealed the win by converting their final six shots from the charity stripe.
Diaz tied her season high by scoring 29 points in 34 minutes. The sophomore connected on nine of her 16 field goal attempts; including a 7-for-13 effort from behind the arc. Darsha Burnside was just as effective by pouring in 20 points and grabbing 18 rebounds for the visitors.
Azusa Pacific has their final home game of the season next Saturday afternoon when they host Fresno Pacific at 1:00 p.m. The Cougars will honor seniors Katie Powell and Lisha Elsenbach after the game.
