RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- Azusa Pacific nearly overcame its own mistakes to overcome a double-digit deficit and set up a wild back-and-forth finish before falling to No. 24-ranked California Baptist, 75-69.
In its first visit to the brand-new CBU Events Center, Azusa Pacific endured a rough start, scoring just two points in the first six minutes. However, the Cougars roared back in the second half, surging ahead briefly midway through the second half and tying the game three times in the final four minutes.
After the Cougars tied the game at 64-64 with just under four minutes to play, California Baptist center Kalidou Diouf and Azusa Pacific point guard Darien McClain traded basket for basket on five consecutive possessions. Although the Cougars came up empty after Diouf's third consecutive score gave the Lancers a 70-68 lead, McClain made 1-of-2 free throws with 26 seconds left to keep the Cougars alive.
Jordan Heading made two free throws at the other end for a 72-69 CBU lead, adding three more free throws in the final 15 seconds after Azusa Pacific's potential game-tying three-pointer was off the mark with 19 seconds left.
Mandrell Worthy came off the bench to lead Azusa Pacific in scoring for the second straight game, turning in a new season-high 22 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the field. McClain added 13 points, and Petar Kutlesic scored 11 points with 7 rebounds.
Azusa Pacific is now 11-6 overall and drops back into a tie with Dixie State for first place in the Pacific West Conference standings, while California Baptist is now 13-3 overall and 6-2 in PacWest play. The teams meet again in just 12 days, when the Cougars host the rematch on Thursday, Jan. 25, at the Felix Event Center.
How It Happened: Azusa Pacific shot just 35 percent (13-for-37) from the field in the first half and made only 1-of-5 free throws, yet the Cougars kept the deficit within single digits and headed into halftime trailing by a 39-30 margin. Azusa Pacific contained the CBU offense in the second half, holding the Lancers to a 29 percent (9-for-31) shooting clip to allow the Cougars to close the gap. Although he was somewhat limited by foul trouble, Diouf finished with a 23-point, 12-rebound double-double to lead California Baptist to the win.
Turning Point: Corey Langerveld tracked down three offensive rebounds in one continuous possession, allowing Worthy to slash through the lane for two points to cut CBU's double-digit lead to 46-38 with 15:22 remaining in the game. That possession helped key a 15-1 run, which included seven consecutive defensive stops that kept the Lancers scoreless for a span of nearly five minutes. Worthy tied the game at 47-47 with a 15-foot baseline jumper with 13:00 to play, and a minute later Kutlesic gave the Cougars their first lead, 51-49, with a layup assisted by McClain. California Baptist regained the lead with 10:58 left and never trailed again.
Turning Point (Part II): Gabe Taylor's three-pointer with 7:39 to play gave California Baptist a 62-54 lead, but it took the Cougars less than two minutes to erase the entire margin. Kutlesic started and finished the 8-0 run with points in the paint, and Worthy cashed in a layup while Selom Mawugbe nailed a pair of free throws to help the Cougars close the gap and make it a one-possession game for the final six minutes of the game.
Azusa Pacific Standouts: Worthy, McClain, and Kutlesic were the three Cougars who reached double figures in scoring, but the Cougars were balanced in terms of overall production. Langerveld led the rebounding effort with a team-high 8 rebounds, and Worthy added 2 blocks and 3 steals to his season-high 22-point scoring performance. Ben Taufahema knocked down a pair of first-half three-pointers which kept CBU within striking distance despite the Cougars' overall shooting woes. Tyson Kanseyo contributed 4 points and 3 rebounds in 27 high-energy minutes, and his layup with 3:59 to play tied the game at 64-64 to set up the duel between McClain and Diouf down the stretch.
California Baptist Standouts: Diouf was one of two California Baptist players to record a double-double, with Jordan Todd contributing 14 points and 11 rebounds while Gabe Taylor finished with 12 points for the Lancers. Dejon Davis came off the bench for 8 points, 6 rebounds and a block in just 13 minutes of action.
Quotable: "We got ourselves down 10 points early, but I thought we battled back very well and showed a lot of poise and heart to get ourselves back into striking distance. The second half was a fantastic defensive effort. You're not going to beat many good teams when you go 3-for-23 from the 3-point line and hit 50 percent of your free throws, but I'm looking forward to the opportunity to play again on Monday. I want this team to continue to develop their grit, resolve, and collective toughness. What we saw in the second half tonight was indicative of what this team can be. It's not always going great on the offensive end, but that's never going to stop us from defending. We're capable of being the best defensive team in this league, and something we want to continue to hang our hat on is being hard to score against." - Head Coach Justin Leslie
By The Numbers: Azusa Pacific tied its largest negative rebounding margin all season, giving up a 50-39 edge on the boards to CBU… The Cougars' 13-percent (3-for-23) three-point shooting was its second-lowest performance beyond the arc all season… Azusa Pacific matched its season-low in turnovers (3)… California Baptist converted its 50-39 rebounding edge into an 18-12 scoring edge in second chance points… The Cougars outscored CBU in the paint, 38-22, and also led in points off turnovers (9-0) and bench scoring (32-14)… Both teams shot under 40 percent for the game, with Azusa Pacific finishing at 39 percent (29-for-74) overall and California Baptist hitting at a 37 percent (22-for-600) clip… The Cougars hit just 50 percent (8-of-16) on free throws, while CBU was 23-for-27 (85 percent) from the charity stripe.
What's Next: Azusa Pacific continues PacWest play on the road with a visit to Fresno Pacific on Monday, Jan. 15, for the second of four games within an eight-day stretch. The Cougars host Hawai'i Pacific on Thursday, Jan. 18, before heading back on the road to visit Point Loma next Saturday, Jan. 20.
