Cougars’ offensive woes contribute to first home loss of the season
The first half did not go according to plan for Azusa Pacific’s women’s basketball team. Headed into halftime down 15 to Hawai’i Pacific, the Cougars desperately needed to make a change. Although the offense had kickstarted in the second half, it was too late, and the Cougars dropped their second PacWest game, falling to the Sharks, 73-69.
“It was just frustrating. We did not meet their intensity. They played harder and they deserved to win that game,” head coach T.J. Hardeman said after the game.
The loss puts the Sharks in first place of the PacWest with an overall record of 14-2 and a PacWest record of 8-1.
The Sharks shot 60 percent from the floor in the first half, led by redshirt-sophomore Samantha Lambrigtsen, who had 10 of her 17 points in the first half. Alysha Marucci, Jessi Reeves and Spencer Gray had eight, six and six, respectively.
The Cougars, on the other hand, struggled to find their rhythm, shooting only 30 percent from the field. The effort was led by senior guard Abbigail Goodsell, who hit a pair of threes, followed by sophomore guard Zoe March and junior forward Casey Wortley who each had four points in the first half.
The bright spot for the Cougars in the first half was the defense. Active hands caused 13 turnovers in the first half, and this activity on the defensive end of the floor ultimately propelled a slow comeback in the second half.
The Cougars were able to trim a deficit of 17 down to 10 midway through the third quarter. However, a spurt of offense by the Sharks late in the third pulled their lead to 14 headed into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Cougars came out of their shooting slump. The attack led by Goodsell, March and Wortley brought APU within three in the final minute. A pair of solid free throws from junior guard Gina Henderson cut the lead down to two. Yet the Sharks were able to convert their own free throws in the final seconds to put the game out of reach.
Goodsell led the team on the night with 15 points, followed by March with 13 points and junior forward Samantha Huddleston with 12 points.
The players on the APU team declined to comment.
The Cougars, now 18-3 overall, and 9-2 in PacWest play, will travel to Point Loma on Saturday. The Cougars won the previous matchup against Point Loma at the Felix Event Center 81-69. They will return home on Thursday, Jan. 25, where they will take on California Baptist for the last time in PacWest play.