MIRANO ASAI | staff writer

Vanguard University, the NAIA’s No. 3 ranked school, outlasted the Cougars by the score of 91-71 on Jan. 19. In the first half, the Cougars were troubled by the Lions’ tall height and their own fouls but they were finally able to focus on their defense and play confidently in the final half.

In addition, the Cougars could not get the rebounds and were out-rebounded 50-37. The rebounding edge accelerated the Lion’s offense.

“Vanguard shot very well,” head coach T.J. Hardeman said. “We had a few defensive breakdowns, but they just hit them and shot it very well even we had a hand up on them.”

The Cougars had nine fouls total in the first half, giving the Lions 11 free throws.

Vanguard got seven points out of 11 free throws and the Lions contributed to their lead by the end of the first half with a score of 51-38.

The Cougars were limited offensively by the Lions’ intense defense and the game moved fast. The Lion’s stamina and quickness allowed them to double and triple team the ball to force a hurried pass or a steal.

“We shot a little too quickly a few times in the first half, after just one or two passes, and it turned the game into a track meet,” Hardeman said.

Overall the first half moved quickly and it was highly competitive. In the first 12 minutes, the lead was changed five times and both teams kept the lead within seven points. Also, the score was tied six times.

The Lions’ started the second half with a 13-point lead. The number of rebounds for the Cougars was increased and the Lions could not make as many shots or get as many rebounds as they did in the first half. The percentage of 2-pointers was declined to 38 percent from 56 percent in the first half.

“After the first half was over we understood what each player did so we can rock them up because a lot of them were doing just the same moves,” senior guard Sarah Leathers said.

The Lions gradually began collecting fouls in the favor and senior guard Jessica Richter, one of the Cougar All-Americans from last season, and fouled out as a result. The Cougars had 19 free throws in the final half and made 12 points.

Sarah Leathers made four 3-pointers and scored 18 points. She made two 3-pointers within 20 seconds it led to get the Cougars out of a tied score and brought a six point lead, 24-18. Also her third 3-pointer gave Azusa Pacific their final lead of the game at 29-28.

Freshman guard C.J. Hill showed her capability to change the mood of the fame. In the final half, it was an impressive moment in which she drew three defenders by powerful dribbling under the basket and still forcibly made a lay up while getting one free throw chance. Hill made the free throw without difficulty and it encouraged her other teammates.

“We can learn the importance of rebounding and boxing out from this game,” Hill said. “No game is more important than another game. We have to focus on each game and what we need to do now. For the next game, we will play as a team, not one by one. We should not be down. We cannot hold our heads down, and we have to keep our heads up because we have more tough games in row.”