AZUSA, Calif. — The Azusa Pacific Cougars (1-4, 0-1 PacWest) dug themselves too deep into an early hole, suffering a narrow 71-63 defeat to the Menlo College Oaks (1-6, 1-0 PacWest) Tuesday night at the Felix Event Center.

Menlo, who entered the contest winless through six games, came out firing, dictating the tempo and pouring in 35 points in the opening frame while holding APU to a season-low 23. The Oaks' dominance in the paint and efficient shooting (.500 FG% in the first half) established a commanding 12-point advantage heading into the break.

They found its rhythm immediately in the second half, executing a significant turnaround on both ends of the floor. The offense caught fire, scoring 40 points in the half, dominating the paint while they continued to find consistency from beyond the arc. 

The Cougars closed the gap to single digits multiple times, fueled by the relentless energy of their leading scorer, Shad Thomas, but the deficit proved insurmountable. Every time APU threatened to steal the momentum, the Oaks found an answer, largely thanks to a game-clinching turnaround jumper by Nick High.
 
Box Score Highlights

Azusa Pacific:  Shad Thomas – 20 Points, 7 Rebounds, 3 Blocks

Menlo: Jamaal Unuakhalu – 17 Points, 7 Rebounds, 2 Blocks

Key Stats & Notes

• Menlo led the game for 36 minutes and 59 seconds of the contest.
• The Cougars had a 33-14 advantage over the Oaks in the Bench Points category.
• The Cougar defense forced nine turnovers.
• Menlo had nine second-chance points to the Cougars' seven.

Up Next
The Cougars will travel to Orange County to take on Concordia Irvine this Saturday, continuing their early conference slate.