AZUSA, Calif. – Persistence paid off for an Azusa Pacific squad looking to snapped out of a funk.

The Cougars pulled away in the final quarters to post a 74-65 win against Point Loma to end a two-game losing skid.

A steady shooting effort helped offset 25 turnovers for the Cougars. Azusa Pacific (8-10, 6-4 PacWest) set a season high by making 54 percent of their 50 field goal attempts. It is the first time this season that Point Loma allowed their opponent to hit more than half of its field goal attempts. The Sea Lions came into the came allowing just over 56 points per game – the best mark in the PacWest.

"It is good to get back into the win column but more important it was great to see us play with high energy throughout," head coach T.J. Hardeman said. "I'd certainly like us turn the ball over fewer times but we can work those things out in practice."

Zoe March recorded her first collegiate double-double by scoring 16 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in 35 minutes. Abigail Goodsell led the squad in scoring with an 18-point evening while Gabrielle Kaiser contributed 15 and three blocks.

Point Loma was held to a season low one made three pointers on their 22 attempts from behind the arc. Overall the visitors hit just 29.6 percent of their shots.

Azusa Pacific hit half of their field goal attempts (6-for-12) but the visitors took the first quarter lead by forcing the Cougars into seven turnovers. Point Loma turned those miscues into 11 points as they took a 23-17 edge after the opening frame.

In the second stanza the Cougars cleaned up their play as they committed just four turnovers. For second straight period they connected on 50 percent (8-of-16) of their shots as they took a 36-35 lead into the locker room. Azusa Pacific finished the half on a 19-8 scoring spurt, capped off by a late Zoe March three-pointer, in taking their one-point edge.

Neither team could gain a substantial upper hand in a sloppy third quarter which saw the teams combined for 16 fouls. Azusa Pacific held the Sea Lions to just three made fields as they, once again, nailed half of their 12 jumpers to take a 52-47 lead into the last 10 minutes.

"During the second half we did a nice job of working the ball down low and executing our low post offense," Hardman said.  

The early minutes of the final quarter saw the Cougars continually as they eventually took a 16-point lead late. Point Loma (14-3, 8-2) never posed a serious threat as their nine-game win streak came to an end.

Monday's game ended a three-game homestand for the Cougars. Azusa Pacific travels to Dixie State on Saturday.