Box Score

Highlights
Jordan Wild dunk to end first-half
Jerante Morgan alley-oop dunk

Fresno Pacific had a halftime lead against Azusa Pacific for the second time this year and pushed the NAIA's #5 team to the limit, but once again the Cougars prevailed in the second half.

Jerante Morgan scored a game-high 26 points, but it wasn't enough as the Sunbirds (12-8, 5-6 GSAC) slipped below .500 in league play for the first time since the conference opening road loss to APU.

In a game featuring arguably the GSAC's two most athletic teams, FPU led 27-23 after a first half that included lots of defensive pressure but not much scoring on either side. APU would go on a 22-4 run to start the second half as the Sunbirds were unable to recreate the intensity they ended the first half with.

"In the first half we played about as hard as we have all year," said coach Chris Wright. "In the second half, we knew they would start going to [Reggie] Owens more inside and they did. He's probably the best post-player in the country and when he got it going I think we got a little frustrated offensively and it all kind of snowballed from there."

FPU would fall behind early, going down 7-0 and 11-2 but with the biggest home crowd of the year backing them up the Sunbirds would piece together a 9-0 run to tie it. Baskets continued to be few and far between, but Matt Christman would give the Sunbirds their first lead on a three-pointer with 45 seconds left, 25-23.

After a defensive stop, Jordan Wild threw down an electrifying dunk in the closing seconds of the half on a dish from Adam Kado to give FPU a four-point lead.

Much like the first meeting between the two teams though, it didn't take long for the Cougars to reestablish themselves. In just over five minutes' time, the Sunbirds found themselves down by 15 points as the Cougars used their athleticism to get open shots and dominate the boards.

A 7-0 run brought the Sunbirds within eight, 47-39, with 9:15 to play after jumpers by Morgan and Rickey Vick with a three-pointer by Deshaun Legree in-between. But that was as close as the Sunbirds would come.

The Sunbirds in no way made it easy for the Cougars to close out the game, pressing on defense and constantly attacking on offense. A technical foul on APU's Reggie Owens led to three Morgan free-throws which brought the Sunbirds within nine with 4:25 remaining.

The Cougars immediately answered with a three from David Stafford and would continue to score in the closing minutes, en route to a 58-percent-shooting second half.

The game wouldn't end without a treat for the home crowd however. In the final minute Legree lobbed an in-bounds pass from the baseline to Morgan who rose above two defenders, caught the ball with one hand and in one motion slammed it home with authority.

Kado had five assists on the day. Morgan's 26-point night (his second one in the last three games) was complemented by 11 points from Wild and 10 points by Legree. Wild was the team's leading rebounder with seven, but the Cougars were the clear winners in the battle of the boards.

The Sunbirds held a 18-4 advantage in second-chance points and forced 19 APU turnovers, but were unable to get key stops during a 54-point Cougar second half.

Marshall Johnson led the Cougars (19-2, 10-1 GSAC) with 20 points. Owens added 18 and Stafford finished with 15. Clovis East-product Robert Sandoval had 12 assists for the Cougars.

The Sunbirds will try to snap their three-game losing streak on Saturday in Costa Mesa against Vanguard. The Lions (5-14, 3-8 GSAC) started very poorly but have picked it up of late and are known for having one of the toughest gyms to play at in the entire conference.

Wright said that the Sunbirds need to take advantage of the next three games, all against teams FPU defeated in the first half, and that he was proud of the way the team competed tonight.

"If we can play this hard for the next nine games, we'll be in really good shape."

Around the GSAC

#2 Concordia (H) 72, Vanguard 64
Hope International 66, The Masters (H) 63
California Baptist (H) 64, Point Loma Nazarene 57
Westmont (H) 71, #16 Biola 67