AZUSA, Calif. – The PacWest leading Cougars handled the visiting Hawai'i Pacific Sharks with ease on Monday night, posting an 82-48 victory in the Felix Event Center.
 
Three Cougars scored in double figures, led by a 16-point performance by Brennan Rymer. Selom Mawugbe scored in double-figures for the 14^th straight game, while true freshman Ken West scored 10 points for his third career double-digit scoring game. Four Cougars had eight points; Noah Bundrant, Terrence Becvar, Gerritt Beetstra and Allan McBride. Defensively, Mawugbe finished with four blocks, while Bundrant, Ben Taufahema, and Ben Avera all finished with two steals.
 
Azusa Pacific wasted no time in grabbing control of the game, as it jumped out to a quick 12-2 lead with a little over five minutes off of the clock. Hawai'i Pacific trailed single-digits at 18-10 with 12:19 remaining in the first half, and it was the last time that the Sharks would be within 10 points. The Cougars closed out the half on a 23-14 run, which gave them a 41-24 halftime lead.
 
Through the first 10 minutes of the second half, the Cougars used a 20-7 run to push their lead up to 30 points at 61-31 with 10:05 left in the game. The Cougars largest lead of the night came on two separate occasions, as they led by 36 points at 80-44 (1:50 remaining), and at 82-46 (:07 remaining).
 
While three-point shooting has been a constant for the 2019-20 Cougars, Azusa Pacific showed an ability to dominate a game while struggling from distance. The Cougars shot just 32% (12-for-37) from three, but were able to finish the game shooting 50% from the floor. Azusa Pacific relied on a consistent effort from inside the paint to get the job done offensively, finishing with 40 points in the paint.
 
On the glass, Azusa Pacific posted a 45-32 rebounding advantage. On the offensive glass, the margin was slightly in the Cougars' favor at 14-12, but Azusa Pacific turned those opportunities into 18 second chance points, while the Sharks finished with just seven second chance points.
 
Azusa Pacific currently leads the PacWest with a 19-3 overall record and a 14-2 conference record. The Cougars are in the midst of a five-game homestanding, with three more remaining. Up next for the Cougars is a meeting with Fresno Pacific on Thursday, January 13 at 7:30 pm.