AZUSA, Calif. – It was throwback Thursday so
Allison Greene turned back the clock a few years.
Greene played a significant role in the Cougars 87-61 victory against Dixie State on Thursday evening.
After missing last season the senior has been working her way into the all-conference form she exhibited during the 2013-14 campaign. During the win she scored a personal season high 24 points while dishing out a team best five assists. She also grabbed six rebounds in 30 minutes of court times
"We were kind of joking that she was partying like it was 2013," head coach T.J. Hardeman said laughingly. "She is getting back into that type of playing shape and shaking the rust off. It is great to see her playing in that manner."
Greene wasn't the Azusa Pacific (11-2, 5-0 PacWest) player contributing to the squad's fifth straight win. Kelly Hardeman scored 14 of her 16 points in the second half while grabbing a team high seven rebounds. Maggie Dumphy (13) and Joelle Tampien (11) rounded out the double figure scorers for the home squad.
The 24th ranked Cougars nailed at least half of their field goal attempts for the third straight game as they connected on 35 of their 66 attempts (53 percent).
During the first half Azusa Pacific forced the Red Storm (2-9, 2-3) into 15 turnovers as they built a 47-25 lead. The Cougars scored 12 points off the visitor's miscues while holding a 10-0 edge in fast break points. Greene's all-conference capabilities were on full display as she scored 16 points, dished out five assists and grabbed four rebounds in the initial stanza.
In the course of those opening 20 minutes the Cougars played suffocating defense as they all but put the game out of reach. Less than four minutes into the game Azusa Pacific held a 10 point lead. After the Red Storm briefly rallied within single digits but the home team quickly went up double figures and never were threatened the rest of the game.
Azusa Pacific built a lead as large as 32 points late in the third quarter.
"We want to play at a fast pace and we felt like we could longer than them," Hardeman said. "That is what we work on; to create a tough pace for our opponents."
The Cougars will look to make it six straight wins on Saturday when the host Chaminade at 1 p.m.
