Box Score

FPU crushed Cal Baptist 75-49 on Saturday night to end the regular season at 19-10, 12-8 in GSAC play, and finish in a tie for 4th-place in the conference. Jerante Morgan had 16 points and 10 rebounds as the Sunbirds avenged a January loss to the Lancers, the only game FPU has dropped to a team outside the GSAC's top four.

The Sunbirds finish tied for fourth in the conference with Westmont and split the season series with the Warriors, but will have to head to Santa Barbara as the #5 seed because Westmont owns a win against a higher-ranked team (Biola).

The Sunbirds will head into next Thursday's GSAC playoff game riding a three-game win streak and playing their best basketball of the year.

"It all started because of the way we are defending," said coach Chris Wright. "Our guys have really bought into our zone being our identity and we are peaking at the right time."

That defense has been on full display the last two games and the Lancers had no idea what hit them as FPU kept them to 49 points on their senior night, despite pulling their starters with plenty of time to spare.

It was a place Fresno Pacific's seniors had never won, but on Saturday night it didn't take long to realize the Sunbirds' Riverside struggles would soon be far behind them. FPU jumped out to an 18-6 lead, fueled by scoring from Kendall Holmes inside and Casper Hesseldal on the wing.

CBU would come back within four, but a 15-4 run closed out the first half for FPU as Matt Christman drained two three-pointers and Adam Kado knocked down another just before halftime to make it 35-20.

The Lancers shot less than 30 percent for the game and made just 3-of-23 from long-range. The Sunbirds came out in the second half and locked down the Lancers, outscoring them 19-8 in the first five minutes to put the game far out of reach.

CBU wouldn't get any closer than 20 in the game's final 12 minutes and trailed 71-41 with 3:15 to play.

Jerante Morgan led the Sunbirds with 16 points and 10 rebounds as FPU's defense led to high percentage shots on the other end. Holmes also finished with 16 points and Kado added six assists.

Cal Baptist, who had just one player in double figures with Luke Evans' 12 points, fall to 14-15, 8-12 in GSAC play and will be the #7 seed in the conference tournament.

The Sunbirds now turn their attention to a Westmont team they will face for the third time, and the second time in two weeks. FPU dropped the first meeting 73-70, coming back from a large deficit to have a chance to win at the end. The Sunbirds then trounced the Warriors 75-58 on senior night on Tuesday.

Though FPU has outplayed the Warriors in all but the first half of the first meeting, should the Sunbirds falter next week their season will come to an end. Everything will be riding on this one game, because the winner will have a decent shot at an at-large bid to Kansas City for the NAIA Tournament, even if they lose in the next round.

"Playing Westmont at Westmont is always tough," said Wright. "I know John Moore and his staff will have their team ready to go. We really have to match their intensity from the opening tip."

Around the GSAC
The Masters 78, Vanguard (H) 77 (OT)
Point Loma Nazarene (H) 76, Hope International 55
#3 Concordia 101, Westmont (H) 87
Fresno Pacific 75, California Baptist (H) 49
#6 Azusa Pacific (H) 91, San Diego Christian 63

Thursday, March 3, 2011
GSAC Tournament – First Round
#8 The Masters at #1 Concordia, 7:30 pm
#7 California Baptist at #2 Azusa Pacific, 7:30 pm
#6 Point Loma Nazarene at #3 Biola, 7:30 pm
#5 Fresno Pacific at #4 Westmont, 7:30 pm