POMONA, Calif. – Facing a squad that eliminated them in the second round of the playoffs last season, Azusa Pacific's defense rose to the challenge down the stretch, pulling away from Cal State San Marcos to win 58-44 Saturday evening inside Kellogg Arena to complete a road sweep.
Paige Uyehara led the Cougar offense with 23 points in the victory.
How It Happened: The Cougars pounded the ball inside to start, with senior center
Molly Whitmore scoring on three of the team's first four possessions. The defenses took over from there, with Azusa Pacific holding a narrow 10-9 margin at the end of the quarter. San Marcos would open the second quarter with an 8-2 run and held Azusa Pacific to 5-16 shooting in the quarter, enabling the CCAA squad to have a four-pount margin at halftime, 27-23.
San Marcos would extend the lead at the start of the third, reaching its largest advantage at 34-27 four minutes in. Uyehara and
Kelly Heimburger got the Cougars back into the contest with back-to-back threes, but San Marcos would bounce back to a 39-33 edge with 3:52 remaining in the quarter.
Turning Point: Azusa Pacific would rally down the stretch of the third to reclaim the lead at 41-40 just before quarter's end. From the 3:52 mark of the third through the rest of the game, Azusa Pacific held San Marcos to just 1-20 from the field, forcing eight turnovers along the way and scoring the final 13 points of the game. Uyehara had 9 points in the final quarter to help seal the deal.
By the Numbers: Uyehara had 23 points, including going 10-10 from the free throw line. She was joined in double figures by Heimburger and Whitmore, who each scored 11.
Amayah Kirkman grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds, and all five starters grabbed at least four. The Cougars were able to convert 10 second half turnovers into 17 points, which proved decisive. Azusa Pacific leads the all-time series, 4-2. The two teams have split a pair of matchups in the West Region playoffs the past two seasons.
Up Next: Azusa Pacific (3-1) now come back to the Felix Event Center for their home opener against Seattle Pacific. Opening tip on Friday is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
