AZUSA, Calif. -- Justin Byrd put the finishing touches on an improbable comeback with a putback layup with 1.1 seconds left in overtime to lift Azusa Pacific to a 104-103 overtime win over Dixie State Saturday afternoon.
Byrd rebounded Connor Peterson's driving layup through traffic and put it back through the hoop to break a 102-102 tie. Byrd's putback beat the expiration of the shot clock by a split-second and set off a short-lived celebration with 1.1 ticks still left on the clock, which resulted in a one-shot technical foul charged to Azusa Pacific for players leaving the bench. Brandon Simister knocked down the free throw to give Dixie State a chance to win the game on the ensuing inbounds, but the full-court inbounds pass was knocked away to secure the win.
Simply making it to overtime was even more improbable, and Byrd was at the center of it all when the Cougars rallied from a nine-point deficit with under two minutes to play in regulation. Byrd assisted a Joey Schreiber three-pointer with 1:46 left, cutting the margin to 87-81. After Trevor Hill missed a pair of free throws, Byrd hit a three with 1:12 left that made it 87-84. Schreiber answered four consecutive Dixie State free throws with another trey, but Kyler Nielson knocked down two more free throws with 35 seconds left to keep the margin at six.
Byrd assisted another three-pointer, this time to Peterson with 24 seconds left, and he picked up the steal on the ensuing inbounds to set up a game-tying three from Schreiber with 11 seconds left in regulation. Peterson came up with another steal off Hill as he drove into the lane for the potential game-winner to send the game to overtime.
Junior forward Petar Kutlesic led all scorers with a career-high 31 points to go with another career-high in rebounds with 18. Kutlesic had his double-double by halftime, registering 12 points and 10 boards in the opening frame to help Azusa Pacific to a 44-43 halftime edge.
He was joined by four teammates in double figures, as Schreiber drilled six three-pointers in a 25-point, six-rebound effort, while Corey Langerveld and Will Ferris tallied 11 points each. Peterson scored 10 points, dished out seven assists, and added three steals.
Dixie State, which had won five straight entering Saturday's game including a four-point upset of No. 3-ranked California Baptist two nights earlier, was led by Hill's 25-point, 12-rebound, 7-assist performance. Simister was five-of-eight on three-pointers, finishing with 23 points, and Nielson produced 20 points for the Trailblazers.
With the victory, Azusa Pacific improves to 5-7 overall and 1-2 in PacWest play, while Dixie State drops to 5-4 overall, 2-1 PacWest. The Cougars host Western Oregon on Friday, Dec. 16, at Citrus College in a non-conference rematch of last year's NCAA West Region semifinals. Three days later, on Dec. 19, Azusa Pacific will return to PacWest play by hosting Holy Names.
