AZUSA, Calif. - The Cougars proved just enough in an 87-85 home victory over the Vulcans on Thursday night. Ken West led the way, scoring 21 points, shooting 7-for-14 from the field and 4-for-9 from beyond-the-arc, while Ethan Speaker also had a big match, putting up 19 points, shooting 7-for-16 from the field and collecting two three-pointers in the victory.
How it Happened: As both teams remained evenly matched throughout the entirety of the game, Hawai'i Hilo got out to a 5-3 lead in the opening minutes. Azusa Pacific then tied it with a dunk from Speaker, but the Vulcans regained the lead at 13-9. The Cougars then earned their second lead of the game at 16-15 thanks to free throws by Speaker after drawing a foul.
With six minutes and thirty seconds left in the half, the Cougars were working from behind, but found a way to come back once again, tying the game at 37 a piece following a layup from Nate Kleppe. The first half ended with Azusa Pacific trailing by one (47-46) after Speaker completed a fast break jumper with nine seconds left.
After Hawai'i Hilo opened the second half with a two-point shot, the Cougars went on an 11 point run with the help of back-to-back-to-back three-pointers from Kleppe, West and George Reidy. Azusa Pacific maintained control until about 10 minutes left in the half when the Vulcans tied it at 63 a piece.
Turning Point: With the Cougars trailing by five points with with six minutes and thirty seconds left in the game, a three-pointer and three free throws from West tied it at 76. A good jumper from Bryce Sloan followed by a layup from West extended Azusa Pacific's lead to 80-76. After the Vulcans tied the game at 83 with two minutes remaining, a jumper by Reidy gave the Cougars a two point advantage. Hawai'i Hilo managed to tie the game again at 85 a piece with one minute remaining, but a layup from Kleepe sealed it.
Azusa Pacific earned the victory over the Vulcans by a final score of 87-85 in front of a home crowd in the Felix Event Center on Thursday evening.
By the Numbers: West led the scoring with 21 points and four other players joined him in double digit scoring. Speaker collected eight assists, while him and West also had six rebounds each. Azusa Pacific shot a total of 50% (32-for-64) from the field and 37.5% (12-for-32) from beyond-the-arc. The Cougars also had 12 points off turnovers and 11 second chance points in the victory.
Up Next: Azusa Pacific will return to the Felix Event Center this Saturday, January 6th when they welcome Chaminade for a 4:30 p.m. tip-off. If you cannot attend, you can watch HERE.
POSTGAME INTERVIEW: ETHAN SPEAKER & KEN WEST
