Hope International 54
FULLERTON, Calif. -- After playing 3 of the NAIA’s Top 15 teams in its past 3 games, Azusa Pacific needed a break.
The Cougars, ranked No. 12 in the NAIA, got one and snapped their 2-game losing skid with a relatively easy 68-54 win over Hope International Thursday night in Fullerton.
Azusa Pacific improves to 11-4, 3-1. Hope International falls to 3-9, 0-3.
The Royals, who have yet to win a GSAC contest, were just what the doctor ordered after the Cougars lost back-to-back games for the first time this season to No. 3 Southern Nazarene (Okla.) and No. 7 The Master’s prior to downing No. 11 Oklahoma City.
Lindsey West led all players with 23 points after shooting perfect 7-for-7 from the floor and 9-for-10 from the free throw line.
Monica Somers scored 8 of her 9 points in the first half, including the first 6 in a 15-2 Cougar run over the final 6:27 of the half that turned the game around.
Hope International took a 22-21 lead on a Shannah Aiono trey with 7:05 to play in the opening half, but the Cougars scored 10 straight, the first 6 from Somers, who also had a steal, a block and a rebound in the run. She also assisted on one of West’s 2 lay-ups before Rebekah Dilworth stemmed the tide.
But Somers hit a jumper for her eighth point of the half, and Sarah Leathers buried a trey to complete the run and give the Cougars a 36-24 halftime lead.
West gave the Cougars a 46-35 lead with 11:08 to play when Aiono scored 5 straight to get the Royals back within 6 (46-40) with 9:53 to play. But Lindsay Rice hit a pair of free throws and West completed a 3-point play to push the lead back up to 11 just 41 seconds later and start an 11-2 Cougar run capped by an Ashley Oakes lay-up with 7:29 to go that gave the Cougars a 57-42 advantage.
The Royals got no closer than 11 the rest of the night.
West also grabbed 6 rebounds and nabbed 4 steals. Rice was the only other Cougar in double figures as she finished with 11 points as all 8 Cougars that played scored. The Cougars shot 50% (23-for-46) from the field while limiting the Royals to just 32.2% (19-for-59) and 19 turnovers.
Aiono led the Royals with 13 hitting a trio of 3-pointers. Jasmine Nault and Jessika Doolittle added 12 points apiece.
