HONOLULU, Hawai'i – Although the Cougars held a lead at halftime, Chaminade outscored them 47-29 in the second half, handing Azusa Pacific a 70-63 loss on Saturday night. The defeat snapped a seven-game winning streak over Chaminade, dating back to February 2020.
Earlier in the week, the Cougars secured a key victory over Hawai'i Pacific, helping move them into fifth place in the PacWest standings. Now, the team will return to the mainland with a 9-7 overall record, including a 4-4 mark in conference play while winning five of their last six games.
Jordan Hansen, the team's leading scorer this season, finished with 16 points, including four three-pointers, while grabbing five rebounds.
Charlie Gehler added 15 points, five rebounds, two blocks, and three steals in his sixth straight game with double-digit scoring.
Maui Sze, who remains the PacWest leader in assists, dished out five assists while contributing 11 points for the Cougars.
How it Happened: Azusa Pacific held the lead for the entirety of the first half starting with a layup from Sze which marked the first basket of the game.
The Cougars' six three-pointers in the opening period stretched their lead to as many as 14 points, with Hansen scoring three of those triples.
Coming out of halftime trailing 34-23, Chaminade got the first score of the second half, setting the tone for what would be an explosive finish for the Silverswords.
The Cougars maintained an eight-point lead for the first 10 minutes after halftime, but Chaminade slowly chipped away at the deficit. The Silverswords went on a 13-0 run, eventually taking an eight-point lead while holding Azusa Pacific scoreless for three minutes.
Now trailing 56-48 with 6:28 remaining in the game, Sze knocked down four straight freethrows for the Cougars. However, Chaminade responded with two free throws of their own, followed by a layup off an offensive rebound, helping keep their eight-point lead.
While Azusa Pacific was able to bring its deficit within four points multiple times in the closing minutes, they were unable to overcome Chaminade's 47 points in the second half alone, eventually handing the Cougars the 70-63 loss.
By the Numbers: The free-throw line played a key role in the game, with Azusa Pacific shooting 22-for-31 (71.0%) and Chaminade converting 22-for-26 (84.6%). However, a contributing factor in the loss was Azusa Pacific's 20 turnovers, including 12 in the second half, while Chaminade committed only nine total turnovers, with just two in the final period.
Up Next: Azusa Pacific returns home for a three-game homestand over just five days, starting with a matchup against Vanguard on January 15th. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. in the Felix Event Center. The Cougars will then host Hawai'i Hilo on January 18th and face a rematch against Hawai'i Pacific on January 20th.
