IRVINE, Calif. – #11 Azusa Pacific emerged victorious against Concordia on Wednesday night, defeating the Golden Eagles 73-57 on the road.
Amayah Kirkman reached her 1,000th career point on the evening while leading the Cougars with 18 points.
How It Happened: The Cougars set the tone early, outscoring Concordia 20-13 in the first quarter, with Kirkman contributing several key baskets to establish momentum. In the second quarter, the Cougars' defense forced Concordia into several turnovers, converting them into fast-break points. However, the Golden Eagles fought back, as they put up 18 points to the Cougar's 14, narrowing Azusa Pacific's halftime lead to just 34-31.
In the third quarter, Azusa Pacific regained control, using a 12-0 run sparked by Kirkman and
Sydney Hani to extend their lead to double digits. The Cougars outscored Concordia 22-14 in the period to head into the closing quarter with a comfortable 11-point lead.
Azusa Pacific sealed the victory in the final period, outscoring the Golden Eagles 17-12. Kirkman tallied six more points, while
Kelly Heimburger and
Lauren Jones added timely baskets. The Cougars' defense held Concordia to just 12 points in the quarter, closing out a commanding 73-57 win.
Kirkman scored her 1,000th career point during her final basket of the evening. Now in her last season with the Cougars, she began her career during a shortened COVID season and followed it with three strong years, including a standout 2023-24 season where she earned All-PacWest Second Team honors.
"Amayah is a pure joy to coach" shared head coach
T.J. Hardeman. "She puts in extra time working on her game but also is constantly encouraging others to improve theirs. She is a great leader on and off the floor for our team. She represents God, APU, team, and family in a wonderful way."
By the Numbers: Kirkman led all scorers with 18 points on 80% shooting, while Heimburger added 10 points and 3 rebounds.
Lauren Jones contributed 10 points and 5 assists. Azusa Pacific's bench also played a significant role, adding 25 points. Defensively, the Cougars recorded 13 steals and capitalized on Concordia's 22 turnovers, scoring 24 points off those mistakes.
Up Next: Azusa Pacific (8-1, 3-0 PacWest) will host Nobel on Friday, Dec. 20 for their final matchup of the 2024 calendar year. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
