AZUSA, Calif.-- Senior
Daylee Hanson and sophomore
Lydia Nieto both finished in double figures to lead #4 Azusa Pacific to its third consecutive victory on Friday evening, as the Cougars defeated visiting Seattle Pacific 76-58 in the West Region Crossover Classic.
3-0 Start:
Winning three straight games to start the season is nothing new for the Cougars, as it is the third consecutive season that Azusa Pacific has began 3-0.
Azusa Pacific received solid performances from a collection of players on both ends of the floor. Hanson led the Cougars with a season high of 17 points, to go along with four rebounds, two blocks, and a steal, while Nieto also had a season-high 13 points. Senior
Zoe March finished with nine points, while freshman
Paige Uyehara came off the bench and scored eight points and tallied two steals.
The Cougars forced Seattle Pacific into 19 turnovers which they turned into a 28-7 advantage in points off turnovers.
How It Happened:
The Cougars opened the game with a dominant defensive first quarter, as they held the Falcons to just five points through the first 10 minutes of the game to take a 12-5 lead into the second quarter. While the first quarter was a quiet one for Azusa Pacific on the offensive end, the second quarter saw the Cougars come to life. Azusa Pacific put up 22 points in the second quarter, which was capped off by a steal from
Alex Lowden, who then scored a layup at the buzzer to send the Cougars into halftime with a fifteen point lead at 34-19.
Over the course of the third and fourth quarter, Azusa Pacific extended its lead to as much as 26 points margin, while the Falcons were never able to cut the deficit to less than eighteen points throughout the remainder of the game. The Cougars highest scoring quarter came in the third, as Azusa Pacific outscored the visitors 28-20 in the period. The fourth quarter was the only one that the Falcons outscored the Cougars, as Seattle Pacific scored 19 points while holding Azusa Pacific to 14 points.
What's Next: Azusa Pacific is right back in action tomorrow, as it hosts Western Washington at 8:00 p.m. for day two of the West Region Crossover Classic at home in the Felix Event Center.
