AZUSA, Calif. – One look at the final box score and any observer could tell you who won the contest. Until they looked at the final score column.

Azusa Pacific overcame a rough shooting night with grit and energy to record an 82-76 win over Biola on Saturday evening.

The match-up was the first-time this longtime rivals faced one another since the 2013-14 season. Saturday's game marked the 104th meeting between the schools separated by 26 miles. The Cougars now hold a 56-48 edge in the all-time match-up.

The Cougars remain in the first place in the PacWest as they upped their record to 11-5 overall and 7-1 in conference contests.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Despite shooting just 35.8 percent from the floor, and 20 percent from behind the arc, Azusa Pacific scraped its way to a win with hustle. The Cougars grabbed a season high 25 offensive rebounds which they translated into a 23-5 edge in second chance scoring.

The Cougars committed a season low six turnovers while turning Biola (6-9, 0-7) over on 13 occasions as the home team won the points off turnover scoring edge 19-4.

In the opening half the visitors built a lead as large as nine points before the Cougars responded late in the stanza to tie the score 32-32 at intermission.

During the second half the lead changed hands 11 times and was tied on 15 occasions before Azusa Pacific created separation in the closing minutes. With 4:37 remaining and the scored knotted 65-65, the Cougars went on a 13-4 scoring spurt to seal the win. The scoring run was highlighted by a beautiful up-and-under lay-in by Darien McClain and a thunderous two-hand slam dunk by Mandrell Worthy. Biola hit just one of their four field goal attempts and had two turnovers during the critical stretch.

QUOTABLE: "It wasn't pretty but good teams find a way to win. I told the guys after the game, crazy stats. I can't believe we shot that bad because we had a lot of good looks that just wouldn't go and to shoot 35 percent and still score in the 80's is a fluke," said head coach Justin Leslie. "The rebounding was the difference. We weren't smart in every area but we were smart enough to realize that if we can't make a shot, we have to crash the boards and get those misses."

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

- Biola led for 21:13 while the Cougars held the lead for just over 11 minutes
- Mandrell Worthy came off the bench to score a career high 21 points
- Darien McClain went for 13 points while dishing out a team best six assists
- Petar Kutlesic tallied his third double-double with a 13-point, 12-rebound effort

UP NEXT: A battle for first-place in the PacWest as the Cougars travel to California Baptist on Saturday, Jan. 13. Game time is set for 7 p.m.