MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon/Doubletree by Hilton D2 Shootout lived up to its name Friday night, as Azusa Pacific and Western Oregon both shot 50 percent or better in the Wolves' 99-87 win over the Cougars.
The defeat was the first of the year for Azusa Pacific, which is now 3-1, while Western Oregon remains unbeaten with three victories over Pacific West Conference opponents.
Darien McClain led all scorers with 32 points, hitting 5-of-7 three-pointers and going 11-of-13 from the free throw line, but Western Oregon converted Azusa Pacific's 25 turnovers into 37 points off turnovers. As a result, the Wolves turned a one-point halftime edge into a lead as large as 19 points in the second half before putting away the 12-point victory.
How It Happened: After Corey Langerveld finished a fast break with a dunk to give Azusa Pacific a 44-43 edge in the opening minute of the second half, Western Oregon reeled off a 23-6 run over the next seven minutes. The Cougars committed 10 turnovers during the stretch, which the Wolves converted into 17 points.
Western Oregon maintained a lead of at least 13 points up until the final two minutes, when Mandrell Worthy cut the lead to single digits, 91-82, when he hit a three-pointer with 1:46 to play. McClain hit another three with 1:05 left, making it an eight-point game, 93-85, but the next two Cougar possessions resulted in a turnover and a three-point miss, allowing Western Oregon to put the game away from the free throw line down the stretch.
Turning Point: McClain and Petar Kutlesic scored back-to-back baskets to pull Azusa Pacific within four, 52-48, less than four minutes into the second half, but Western Oregon held the Cougars to just one made two-point field goal for the next 10 minutes. During that stretch, which resulted in the Wolves' largest lead of the game, Azusa Pacific scored 8 of its 13 points on free throws, with Will Ferris hitting a three-pointer and Langerveld adding a baseline jumper to account for the Cougars' scoring.
Azusa Pacific Standouts: McClain scored 19 of his game-high 32 points in the second half, and he finished the game 8-of-13 from the field, including 5-of-7 three-pointers, and he hit 11-of-13 free throws. Four others reached double figures in scoring, as Worthy contributed 17 points and a team-high 3 assists off the bench. Kutlesic added 12 points and a game-high 8 rebounds, Ferris scored 11 points, and Langerveld finished with 10.
Western Oregon Standouts: Demetrius Trammell came off the bench to score a team-high 24 points in 31 minutes, logging more time on the floor than any WOU starter. He hit 7-of-10 from the floor, including 6-of-8 three-pointers, and Vince Boumann, a transfer from Point Loma, also came off the bench to score 18 points. Tanner Omlid scored 15 points, and two others reached double figures with 10 points each (J.J. Chirnside, Janvier Alaby).
By The Numbers: Both teams shot 50 percent or better, as Azusa Pacific hit 26-of-52 shots (50 percent) while Western Oregon made 34-of-62 (55 percent)… Both teams were also over 50 percent from three-point range, with the Cougars hitting 9-of-17 (53 percent) from distance with the Wolves making 12-of-23 (52 percent)… The teams were also nearly even on the boards, with Azusa Pacific edging WOU in rebounds by a 34-32 margin… Western Oregon's reserves produced nearly two-thirds of the Wolves' offense, with WOU reserves scoring 64 of the team's 99-point output.
What's Next: Azusa Pacific takes on Eastern New Mexico in the first game Saturday at the WOU/Doubletree by Hilton D2 Shootout in Monmouth, Oregon. Tipoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. for the matchup with the Greyhounds, who compete in the Lone Star Conference.
