AZUSA, Calif. – Azusa Pacific overcame an early deficit for a 76-51 win over Dominican University Friday night inside the Felix Event Center.  Ken West led the way offensively with 19 points.  He was joined in double figures by Justin Hemsley, who scored 18 and Terrence Becvar, who had 12 off the bench.

How it Happened:  West scored the Cougars' first nine points of the game, all from beyond the arc, as the teams traded the lead in the early going.  Dominican would enjoy their best stretch of the game in the middle of the first half, a 13-4 run that would give them their largest advantage of the game at 22-15 with 7:39 remaining in the first half.

Turning Point:  The Cougars would respond to that run with lightning speed.  On the ensuing possession, Hemsley hit a three.  Hayden Gray got a steal and layup immediately after, forcing a Penguin timeout.  The next trip down, Ben Avera knocked down the first of his three triples, putting the Cougars ahead for good.  Becvar hit a three of his own on the following possession, an 11-0 run that took all of 56 seconds.  

The Cougars continued to press the attack, as that run would stretch into a 25-4 blitz that consumed the remainder of the first half, capped by another Hemsley three giving the Cougars a 40-26 advantage at intermission.  With a 9-2 run to open the second half, Azusa Pacific stretched the lead to 21, and the Penguins would never get closer than 14 the rest of the way.

By the Numbers:  The Cougars made 13 three-point shots on the night and shot 58.3% from the field in the second half.  Azusa Pacific won the rebounding battle 37-23, and turned 17 offensive rebounds into 16 second-chance points.  Hemsley added a team-high seven rebounds, while Nate Kleppe had five rebounds, five steals, and two blocked shots.  Becvar dished out a team-high five assists in the contest.  The Cougars have now won eight consecutive games.

Up Next:  The Cougars (13-6, 11-2 PacWest) have a huge home game coming up on Monday night when they host Point Loma (16-8, 12-4) Monday evening at 7:30 p.m.  Attendance inside the Felix Event Center is limited to 500 fans, but the game will be livestreamed on Cougars All-Access.