AZUSA, Calif. – The Fresno Pacific women's basketball team suffered a heartbreaking road loss on Thursday night, falling 81-80 against league-leading Azusa Pacific. The loss drops the Sunbirds to 8-4 in PacWest Conference play, while the Cougars escaped with an undefeated league record intact. 
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Azusa Pacific 81, Fresno Pacific 80   
Records: FPU (12-6, 8-4 PacWest), APU (16-3, 13-0)
Location: Felix Event Center | Azusa, Calif.    
Series: APU leads 47-27
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
• Julia Locastro gave FPU control of the opening tip, but turnovers and foul trouble hurt the Sunbirds in the early going.
• APU's Savannah Hanson scored nine points, including a 5-5 effort from the free throw line, to help the Cougars jump out to a 26-16 lead at the end of the first quarter. 
• The Sunbirds took care of the ball in the second quarter, committing just two turnovers for the period.
• With two starters having already picked up three fouls, Jessica Malazarte and Rachel Berry picked up the offensive slack, combining for 19 points to keep the Blue and Orange within 11 at the intermission.  
• Bree Alvarez opened the third quarter with a triple before following with a jumper to cut the Sunbird deficit to six just 64 seconds into the half.
• Azusa Pacific answered with an 8-0 run of their own, pushing the lead back to 14 less than two minutes later. 
• Berry turned a steal into an and-one at the other end to bring the 'Birds within six with 2:30 to play in the third, sparking a Sunbird rally.
• FPU fell behind by double-digits to open the final chapter, but the Blue and Orange gradually chipped away at the APU lead for the final eight minutes.
• Ashley Cross knocked down a pair of crucial free throws to bring the Sunbirds within three with 40 seconds to play, and Berry came away with a steal at the other end to give the Sunbirds a chance at tying. 
• Cassie Pisik collected the inbound pass under the Sunbird basket and connected on a jumper after the drawn-up play failed to develop.
• The Cougars botched their subsequent inbound pass, allowing the Sunbirds a chance for the-game-winner.
• With less than a full second on the clock, Malazarte launched a last-chance effort from just inside half court. The heave banked in, but a conference among the officials determined the shot was taken after the clock expired, handing the Sunbirds their toughest loss of the season.
 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
• After scoring just six points and committing three fouls in the first half, Alvarez finished her night with 23 points to lead all scorers, doing so in just 19 minutes on the floor.   
• Malazarte and Pisik combined for 26 points and ten rebounds, while Rachel Berry provided the Sunbirds with 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals off the bench.  
• Hanson sisters Savanna and Daylee each gave the Cougars 20 points, while Laura Pranger's 7-of-8 effort from the floor helped her end the game with 15 of her own. 
• The Sunbirds turned the ball over just three times in the second half after ten in the first half, managing to again win the turnover battle by a tally of 17-13.
• Led by Berry's big night, the FPU bench was able to rack up 18 points.
• APU controlled the glass, hauling in 48 of the game's 88 total rebounds.
 
BEYOND THE BOX:
• The Sunbirds are now 4-2 when Alvarez scores 20 or more in a game this season.
• Prior to Thursday night, APU's average margin of victory in PacWest games this year was 23.5 points. 
• The two teams will meet again in Fresno on February 9.  
   
SOCIAL:
• Twitter - @fpusunbirds
• Instagram - @fpusunbirds 
• Facebook - /FPUathletics
 
UP NEXT:
• The Sunbirds return to action on Saturday, when they wrap up the road trip against Biola. Tipoff from Chase Gymnasium in La Mirada is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.