SEATTLE -- Azusa Pacific fell to Central Washington by a final of 85-80, in the first of two games for the Cougars in the Sodexo Tip-Off Classic hosted by Seattle Pacific University.
 
For the third time this season, the Cougars put together a strong first half of basketball that gave them a lead going into the locker room for intermission; however, the final 20 minutes of the game spelled trouble for Azusa Pacific.
 
How It Happened: The two teams battled back and forth for much of the first half, as the lead changed hands seven times in the first 12 minutes of the game. With the score tied at 24-24 with 8:04 left to go in the first-half, the Cougars closed out the half with a 26-17 run, grabbing a 50-41 halftime advantage. Through the first 20 minutes of play, Azusa Pacific shot 61.1% (22-for-36) from the floor, including four three-pointers (36.4%).
 
In the second half, the Cougars went cold from the floor, shooting 30.3% (10-for-33) from the field and 21.1% (4-for-19) from the three-point line. Meanwhile, Central Washington was able to go 4-for-6 from three (66.7%), and went 14-for17 from the free-throw line (82.4%), outscoring the Cougars 44-30 in the second half. Azusa Pacific only shot eight free-throws in the entire game.
 
Turning Point: In the first nine minutes of the second half, Central Washington was able to chip away at the Azusa Pacific lead, tying the game at 59-59 with 11:35 left to go in the game. Azusa Pacific lost the lead for good when a Jeryn Lucas jumper put Central Washington in front, 61-59, with 9:53 left in the game.
 
Azusa Pacific Standouts: Junior guard Mandrell Worthy was the Cougars' leading scorer in the contest, as he finished with 20 points on 9-for-15 shooting, including two three-pointers. Worthy also recorded four assists and four rebounds, as well as two steals and a blocked shot. Senior guard Will Ferris and sophomore forward Gerritt Beetstra each added 14 points, while junior forward Selom Mawugbe was the final Cougar in double figures with 10 points. Beetstra shared a team-high of five rebounds with senior guard Darien McClain, with McClain also dishing out four assists and collecting two steals.
 
Central Washington Standouts: The Wildcats had four players in double figures, led by Malik Montoya's 20 point effort, as he went a perfect 4-for-4 from the three-point line. Jackson Price finished with 16 points, with 14 of his points coming in the second half. Gamuan Boykin, who was the Wildcats' leading rebounder with 7, also did the majority of his scoring in the second half, as he had two points heading into halftime, adding 13 points after the break. The final Central Washington player to score in double figures was Jeryn Lucas, who had 12 points.
 
What's Next: The Cougars are right back on the hardwood tomorrow, as they face host Seattle Pacific just a little over 24 hours later. Azusa Pacific and Seattle Pacific are scheduled to tip-off at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17, in the final game of the SODEXO Tip-Off Classic. The Cougars will be seeking to get back to .500 on the season, as they are currently 2-3 to start the 2018 campaign.