AZUSA, Calif. – Pushed nearly to the brink, Azusa Pacific dug deep and got critical stops down the stretch to claw out a 64-56 victory over Concordia Saturday night behind a great crowd for homecoming weekend in the Felix Event Center. The Cougars' senior quintet of Ken West, George Reidy, Bryce Sloan, Allan McBride, and Nate Kleppe combined for 44 points and 24 rebounds in the victory.

How It Happened:  Concordia, knowing their own season was on the line as well, controlled the pace of play during a defensive-oriented first half.  The Cougars, who typically make around 11 three-point shots per game, didn't hit one for more than 12 minutes, when a long ball from Reidy tied the game at 17-17.  Concordia retook the lead four possessions later and held a narrow 27-24 edge at halftime.

The Cougars' had multiple chances to tie the game or take the lead early in the second half, only for the Golden Eagles to respond and take their largest lead of the game at 39-33 with 11:33 to play.  After a miss, Reidy was able to get a steal and another three on the offensive end, sparking an 8-2 run to finally pull even again at 41-all.  There would be two more ties and three lead changes before Michael Saba put the Cougars' back in front, 52-51.

Turning Point:  With the Cougars' clinging to a 54-53 lead and less than three minutes to play, Concordia got two straight offensive rebounds, but were unable to score, as Reidy came up with a steal.  Trevan Martin drove the baseline at the other end for a layup.  Martin stole a pass on the ensuing Golden Eagles possession, releasing Reidy for another layup and a 5-point margin.  Martin came up with a block immediately following that, leading to a free throw, then another steal, which he threw down for a dunk himself to seal the game.  Four possessions, three forced turnovers, and a 7-0 run that put the Cougars ahead by eight with a minute remaining.

By the Numbers:  Reidy led the Cougars' in scoring with 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists.   West added 12 points and 7 rebounds, Sloan had 10 points and 5 boards, while McBride came up with 7 points and 4 rebounds.  Martin was huge down the stretch with 9 points, 4 steals, and 3 assists.  Azusa Pacific converted 14 Golden Eagle turnovers into 25 points.

Playoff Implications:  With the win, Azusa Pacific is now 10-16, 9-10 in conference play.  They can clinch the sixth and final spot in the PacWest Tournament with either a win at Fresno Pacific or a loss by Dominican in either of their two remaining games.  The game against the Sunbirds in Fresno tips off at 4:30 p.m. next Saturday (March 2nd) and can be live streamed HERE.