SAN DIEGO -- Good teams play well enough to win, but the great ones find ways to win when they're not at their best.
Azusa Pacific used another impressive second-half defensive effort, and Petar Kutlesic scored a dramatic game-winning layup with 3.3 seconds left to lift the Cougars to a 57-55 road win over Point Loma. The victory wraps up a brutal eight-day stretch which included trips north to Fresno and south to San Diego with a physical home game against Hawai'i Pacific sandwiched in the middle within a single calendar week.
Kutlesic was Azusa Pacific's only double-digit scorer, posting a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double, and Selom Mawugbe scored 9 points with a game-high 12 rebounds. Kutlesic provided 3 steals and Mawugbe registered 5 blocks to lead the defensive effort.
The Cougars continue to share the conference lead with Dixie State at 14-6 overall, 10-2 PacWest. Azusa Pacific swept the season series with Point Loma, which had won four in a row and eight of its past nine before dropping to 14-7 overall, 8-4 PacWest with Saturday's defeat.
How It Happened: Although Point Loma controlled the first half, taking a six-point halftime lead, the Cougars came back with a vengeance in the second half. Leading the way was a suffocating defense which limited PLNU to just two field goals in a span lasting nearly 14 minutes after Josh Rodriguez scored on the Sea Lions' opening second-half possession. The Rodriguez layup with 19:27 left gave Point Loma a 35-30 lead, but the Cougars flipped the halftime margin around by holding PLNU to 2-for-15 shooting during a 24-12 run. Mawugbe completed a three-point play to give Azusa Pacific a 51-45 lead with 6:54 to play, and it took another full minute before Point Loma finally found the basket again with a Skyler White three-point play with 5:51 remaining.
Turning Point: Although Preston Beverly made 1-of-4 free throws in the final minute to tie the game at 55-55, it gave the Cougars possession with 25 seconds left in regulation and an opportunity to hold the ball and play for the final shot. Mandrell Worthy found Kutlesic cutting through the lane for the game-winner with 3.3 seconds left, and Point Loma's desperation halfcourt heave was off the mark.
Azusa Pacific Standouts: Kutlesic now has five double-doubles this season after his 15-point, 11-rebound performance, and all five have come in PacWest play. In addition to grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds and blocking 5 shots, Mawugbe was one of three players who each scored 9 points. Will Ferris made 3-of-4 three-pointers for his 9 points, and Corey Langerveld scored 9 while knocking down 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. Darien McClain scored 7 points and dished out a game-high 5 assists.
Point Loma Standouts: Rodriguez led all scorers with 20 points, and he also registered a game-high 4 steals. He also tied the PacWest career assist record, setting up Tanner Nelson's three-pointer in the opening minute of the game for his only assist of the game. Ziggy Satterthwaite finished with 11 points, and Nelson added 8. The Sea Lions' leading scorer and rebounder, sixth-man Preston Beverly, went 0-for-7 from the field and was limited to 5 points and 5 rebounds.
Quotable: "The challenge to go on someone's home floor and make them miss was a challenge we had to embrace, and we collectively flexed our muscle on the defensive side. We scored a few buckets here and there, but it was what we did on the defensive side. I was just so proud of how we completed and were mentally tough on that side of the ball." - Head Coach Justin Leslie
"Petar impacts the game a lot of ways, including as a defender. Tonight he spent his minutes on Preston Beverly, and he played a fantastic defensive game. He's a player that's starting to really understand his spots, and he's doing a lot of the intangible things that are making us hard to beat. In those last 10 minute of games, we somehow find a way to make those plays that get us separation or change the rhythm of the game. This team believes they're going to find a way to get the job done." - Leslie
By The Numbers: Azusa Pacific snapped four-game win streaks for Point Loma in both meetings this year… The Cougars have outscored their opponent in the second half in 11 of 12 conference games after winning the second half only three times in eight non-conference matchups… Azusa Pacific has won five straight against Point Loma… The Cougars won all three games this week despite shooting a combined 29 percent (23-for-79) from three-point range.
What's Next: Five of Azusa Pacific's next six games are at home, with California Baptist (Jan. 25) and Concordia (Jan. 27) slated to visit the Felix Event Center next week.
Teaming Up Against ALS: Azusa Pacific and Point Loma joined forces to support ALS awareness. Both teams wore shirts supporting the ALS Association San Diego Chapter (pictured, right), and former NBA coach Don Casey addressed fans at halftime of the game. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Although there is not yet a cure or treatment that halts or reverses ALS, scientists have made significant progress in learning more about this disease. To learn more about ALS and the ALS Association, visit the ALS Association Greater San Diego Chapter website.
