HILO, Hawaii – It wasn't pretty, but a win is a win.  Azusa Pacific outlasted Hawai'i Hilo by a 79-76 final Saturday night inside the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.  Shad Thomas led the way with 29 points and 7 rebounds.

How It Happened: The Cougars held a large advantage for much of the game, courtesy of a dominant stretch in the first half.  After spotting the host Vulcans an early 8-3 lead over the first three minutes, the Cougars went on a 29-8 run that started when Thomas put up back-to-back threes.  Sixteen of Thomas' 29 points came during this outburst, and when he threw down a dunk for his next basket with about seven minutes left in the half, the Cougars had their largest lead of the game at 38-19.  A furious Vulcan run over the final stretch of the half would see that lead cut to 11 at the break.

Timely contributions from up and down the shorthanded Cougar lineup kept the lead around the 10-point range for most of the second half, and Azusa Pacific still held a 75-66 edge with four minutes to play.  But the Vulcans had one last run up their sleeves, scoring eight unanswered to pull within one and had a chance to take the lead.  Thomas came up with the defensive play of the night, blocking a would-be dunk attempt from behind with 1:45 to play.  Caleb Oden secured the rebound and knocked down a pair of free throws.  On the following possession, Colton Gray pulled down a board of his own and fired an outlet to EJ Bryson, who in turn fed Thomas for a dunk that put the Cougars up five with just over a minute remaining.  

The Vulcans had the ball in the final minute with a chance to tie, but the defense stiffened one final time and forced a shot clock violation to secure the win.

By the Numbers: Thomas' 29 points are a career high and represent the eighth time he has reached the 20-point plateau this season.  Tobias Aisien and DM Sanders each scored 12 points, while EJ Bryson added 10 off the bench.  Gray scored 8 to go with 7 rebounds, while Parker Christensen added 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists.  Azusa Pacific shot 49% from the field as a team.  The win snapped a two-game losing streak against Hawai'i Hilo and a nine-game skid overall.  The Cougars lead the all-time series against the Vulcans 16-8, including 6-3 in Hilo during the PacWest era.

Up Next:  Azusa Pacific (7-18, 5-15 PacWest) return home for Senior Night in the Felix Event Center against Westmont.  Tipoff on Thursday is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.