AZUSA, Calif. – After a brief lapse, the Cougars concluded their home slate successfully.
In their Felix Event Center finale, Azusa Pacific closed the game well as they posted a 77-65 win against Concordia on Saturday afternoon.
Azusa Pacific concludes their campaign with three road games beginning with Fresno Pacific next Saturday, Feb. 18.
"I was pleased with the way we started and finished the game. We played with good energy aside from our defensive lapse in the second quarter, I thought we gave a good effort today," head coach T.J. Hardeman said.
Gabrielle Kaiser lead the way for the Cougars with an 18-point, 10-rebound afternoon. She also posted a four-block effort in 25 minutes.
In just her second start of the season Samantha Huddleston grabbed 10 rebounds and scored eights. Zoe March contributed a fine performance with 11 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Abigail Goodsell chipped-in an efficient 14-point game.
A solid defensive effort coupled with good shooting gave the Cougars the early lead. In the opening quarter Azusa Pacific was 7-for-13 from the floor, making all but one of their shots from behind the arc, while limiting the Eagles to just three made field goals. Azusa Pacific was ahead by as much as 12 before taking a 19-8 lead at the period's end.
Concordia responded in the second quarter as they chipped away at their deficit throughout. The visitors connected on half of their 18 shots while Azusa Pacific went cold from the floor (4-of-21). The duo of Zoe Scott-Goss and Ugochi Anudokem tallied 11 of Concordia's 21 points as the teams went into the locker room knotted at 29.
An efficiently played third quarter saw the lead change hands five time in the initial minutes before the Cougars took the lead for good on a Kaiser lay-up with 7:40 left. Azusa Pacific stretched their lead to seven points twice while Concordia pulled with a field goal on two occasions the remainder of the period. March scored her first seven points of the game while Kaiser added six in helping the Cougars to a 52-49 edge.
"The difference between the second and third quarter was how we played on defense," Hardeman said. "We knew we didn't played a good second quarter and I'm pleased with how we responded after halftime."
During the opening five-plus minutes of the final frame, the Cougars outscored Concordia 13-3 to spread their lead into double figures. The Eagles pulled within six points but never closer. Azusa Pacific was strong from the foul line in the final stretch as they put the game away. The Cougars connected on 12 of their 14 attempts from the charity stripe in the last period.
