IRVINE, Calif. - Azusa Pacific avoided the season sweep against Concordia on Saturday afternoon, claiming a 56-46 road victory. Molly Whitmore had another big game on the weekend, as she led the Cougars in scoring for the second straight night with 22 points while adding five rebounds and four steals. Kelly Heimburger put up her fourth double-double on the season with ten points, eleven rebounds, and four assists. 

How It Happened: The Cougars got off to a hot start in the first quarter, including a 12-0 run that began with 6:20 left in the first quarter. Defensively, Azusa Pacific allowed just five points through the opening frame, and the visitors took a 16-5 lead into the second. Azusa Pacific stayed hot in the second quarter by shooting 57% from the field, while also forcing seven turnovers on the defensive end of the floor. The Eagles were able to outscore the Cougars 21-17 in the second, however, Azusa Pacific held a 33-26 halftime lead. The Eagles continued to put the pressure on the Cougars in the third quarter by forcing them to shoot just 3-for-10 from field and forcing seven turnovers. Michaela Vanderklugt of Concordia helped keep the Eagles in the game by scoring ten of her 15 points in the third. Concordia trailed Azusa Pacific by just four points heading into the final quarter. 

Turning Point: The Cougars held strong on defense in the final quarter to hold off the Eagles comeback run. Azusa Pacific allowed Concordia to score just eight points on 3-for-15 shooting and 1-for-8 from beyond the arc. Despite the Eagles trailing by just three points with 8:44 left in the game, the Cougars began to run away with the game. The Cougars held the Eagles to just three points in the final five minutes and 52 seconds of the game and the Cougars scored ten points in that period of time. Heimburger helped the Cougars seal the win down the stretch, as she posted six points while going 4-for-4 from the free-throw line and grabbing four rebounds in the fourth quarter. 

By the Numbers: Azusa Pacific outshot Concordia from the field while shooting 21-for-49 (43%) compared to the Eagles going 16-for-51 (31%).  Both teams  struggled from beyond the arc in which the Eagles shot 18% (3-for-17) while the Cougars shot 20% (2-for-10). The final rebounding total was even at 29-29, but the Eagles grabbed 12 offensive rebounds compared to nine for the Cougars. Azusa Pacific went a perfect 12-for-12 from the free throw line, including a 6-for-6 performance in the fourth quarter. Azusa Pacific did not trail at any point in the game.