BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Just what they needed.
Looking to rebound from a two-game losing skid, the Cougars did just that with a 70-63 win at Western Washington during the West Region crossover classic.
It is the third straight win against the Vikings for Azusa Pacific. Furthermore it is the second time in the last three seasons the Cougars have traveled to the tradition regional power and came away with a victory.
"We executed well this evening," head coach T.J. Hardeman said. "I'm proud of the way we played. Maybe a few too many turnovers but I'm pleased with how we pressured them defensively and forced them into tough shots."
The Cougars held a 37-36 edge on the boards and committed a season low 15 turnovers en route to the win. Azusa Pacific grabbed 14 rebounds on the offensive side of the floor which helped them hold a 16-10 edge in second chance points.
Gabrielle Kaiser had outstanding effort with a 24-point, nine-rebound performance. She went 11-for-16 from the floor during her 31 minutes of action. Abigail Goodsell was in double figures, once again, as she tallied 13 points while dishing out a game high seven assists.
"We had a game plan of getting the ball down low and letting Gabrielle get her opportunities. We really thought we could have success along the post and she played a good game offensively," Hardeman said. "Just as important as her scoring was her rebounding. We really wanted to win the rebounding battle and we did that with her help."
Freshman Zoe March flirted with a triple-double by scoring eight points, grabbing eight rebounds and handing out six assists.
The tone of the game set from the get go. Both teams battled for position in the first quarter with a four-point home team lead the largest edge in the entire frame. Down 18-16 to start the second stanza, Azusa Pacific scored nine of the first 14 points in the period to take a 25-21 lead. The Cougars eventually took a one-point (29-28) advantage at the halftime buzzer.
Azusa Pacific stretched their lead in the third quarter. A Goodsell three-pointer with 4:46 left in the frame gave her team a 43-33 lead. The Vikings were able to dwindle down their deficit down to 48-43 as the quarter came to a close.
The script flipped towards the home team in the fourth quarter. Western Washington retook the lead 55-53 with 6:01 left but a determined Cougar squad was not to be denied. Azusa Pacific went back in-front with seven unanswered points. However, the Vikings made one final push as they tied the score (62-62) with 2:28 left after a pair of free throws.
With the score tied and the shot clock running down, Casey Wortley hit a three-pointer on the Cougars next possession. Neither team was able to score for over 90 seconds as Azusa Pacific continued to hold a 65-62 lead. Kaiser scored her final points of the night with 31 ticks remaining on a lay-in to increase the Cougars lead to two possessions. Azusa Pacific sealed the game by making three of four at the charity stripe.
Tomorrow the Cougars wrap-up the two-day, two-game swing through the northwest with a 5:30 p.m. contest against Seattle Pacific.
