by Corey Langerveld, APU Communications
OAKLAND, Calif. – No. 8 Azusa Pacific won its eighth consecutive game, defeating Holy Names by a final of 89-39 on Monday afternoon. The Cougars are now 11-1 overall and 7-0 in PacWest play.
Kayla Shaw scored 23 points on 5-for-10 shooting from beyond-the-arc, and Molly Whitmore recorded a 10 point & 10 rebound double-double to help lead the way for the Cougars. Amayah Kirkman (Acoma Pueblo) nearly had a double-double as well, scoring 12 points and collecting nine rebounds. Two other Cougars also reached double figures in scoring, as Paige Uyehara and Kyra Zovak each scored 11 points. Alex Lowden impacted the game in a variety of ways, tallying eight points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals.
How it Happened: The Cougars opened the contest by holding Holy Names scoreless through the first five and a half minutes of play, which allowed them to take an early 9-0 lead. While the Hawks would finally break the scoreless streak with back-to-back three pointers that made it 9-6 at the 5:00 minute mark, Azusa Pacific outscored Holy Names by an 11-5 margin over the remainder of the quarter to grab a 21-11 lead heading into the second quarter. Holy Names made four field goals in the opening 10 minutes of play, three of which were from beyond-the-arc.
Holy Names scored the first points of the second quarter, as a Hawk three made it a single digit game at 21-14. With eight minutes to go, TyLee Manuel scored a layup that turned a 24-16 game into a 26-16 Cougar advantage. Manuel’s bucket marked the last time in which the Cougars’ lead would sit in single digits, as the visitors started to build their lead over the rest of the first half. Azusa Pacific took a lead as large as 48-24 in the second quarter (0:13), due in large part to an aggressive attack on the offensive end that led to the Cougars taking 16 free throws in the period. At halftime, the Cougars were up 48-27.
Azusa Pacific put its foot on the gas to open the third quarter, utilizing a 10-0 run over the first four minutes of the second half to extend its lead to 58-27. The Cougars maintained the defensive intensity throughout the third quarter, holding the Hawks to just seven points. Azusa Pacific was up by as many as 35 points in third, at 64-29 with just under three minutes. Entering the fourth and final quarter, the Cougars led 66-34.
After five minutes of play in the fourth, Azusa Pacific had outscored the Hawks by a 16-3 margin for an 82-37 lead. The largest lead of the contest came with just a minute to go in the game, with the Cougars up 89-37. Azusa Pacific held the Hawks to just two made field goals in the fourth quarter.
By the Numbers: Azusa Pacific finished the game at 44% (32-for-72) from the floor overall, including 42% (11-for-26) from deep. The Cougars were the aggressors on the offensive end all game long, scoring 34 points in the paint while also earning 21 trips to the free throw line. In comparison, Holy Names took just seven free throws in the contest. On the glass, the Cougars posted a 49-25 rebounding advantage, including 17 offensive rebounds, which is Azusa Pacific’s second-highest single game total this season. The Cougars’ bench combined for 34 points in the victory.
