From staff and wire reports
AZUSA, Calif. — NAIA No. 3 Azusa Pacific rode a wave of free throws to victory in a 97-79 win over visiting Mountain State Friday night.
Azusa (7-1) was 27 of 38 at the foul line while fourth-ranked MSU went 13 times to the charity stripe, making eight shots.
Brice Prather led the West Coast Cougars with 21 points, including 11-of-11 foul shots, and nine rebounds.
Demario Butler chipped in 20 points and eight boards while Scott Zea scored 18 points.
It was Azusa’s first win in four home games against MSU. The hosts, who never trailed in the contest, led 45-33 at halftime.
The West Virginia Cougars got off to a poor start, committing five turnovers in the first five minutes and hitting just one of their first seven shots.
They rallied to narrow the gap to one point, 28-27, with just over six minutes left in the first half on a dunk by Yusuf Baker.
Baker was given a technical foul for hanging on the rim and Azusa followed with a 17-6 run to end the half.
Undaunted, MSU cut the deficit to six points at 59-53 with 11:46 left to play, and 68-60 at the 9:19 mark. Both times Azusa answered with foul shots by Prather to break the momentum.
Baker topped MSU (8-3) with 16 points before fouling out with 4:14 to go. Paul Wright scored 14 points while Ralph Legg netted 12 and Jarvis Jackson had 10.
Tyrice Watkins had nine rebounds and Baker pulled down eight.
Mountain State played Point Loma at 10:30 p.m. Saturday. Details will be printed in Monday’s Register-Herald.
Azusa Pacific 97, Mountain State 79
MOUNTAIN STATE (8-3)
Tyrice Watkins 3-10 0-0 7, Yusuf Baker 7-14 2-2 16, Ralph Legg 4-13 2-2 12, Aaron Owens 0-0 0-0 0, Paul Wright 6-19 0-0 14, Emmanuel Coullibaly 2-4 0-0 4, Jarvis Jackson 4-10 1-4 10, Adron Marshall 2-5 2-2 6, Renardo Dixon 0-1 0-0 0, Devin Hawes 1-1 0-0 3, Papa Gassama 1-1 0-0 2, Petroslav Zafirov 0-3 1-2 1, Ermin Tarcin 2-3 0-1 4. Totals: 32-84 8-13 79.
AZUSA PACIFIC (7-1)
Scott Zea 4-10 7-8 18, Tristan King 4-6 4-7 12, Brice Prather 5-10 11-11 21, Khalif Ford 2-8 4-6 9, Demario Butler 9-15 1-2 20, Chidi Ajufo 0-0 0-2 0, Mike Danielian 3-9 0-0 8, Todd Martin 3-5 0-2 9, Justin Williamson 0-0 0-0 0, Matt Oliver 0-2 0-0 0, Peter Bond 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 30-65 27-38 97.
Halftime: Azusa 45, MSU 33. Three-point goals: MSU 7-26 (Watkins 1-3, Legg 2-6, Wright 2-10, Coulibaly 0-1, Jarvis 1-2, Marshall 0-1, Dixon 0-1, Hawes 1-1, Zafirov 0-1), AP 10-24 (Zea 3-5, Kng 0-1, Ford 1-5, Butler 1-2, Danielian 2-7, Martin 3-4). Rebounds: MSU 49 (Watkins 9, Baker 8), AP 47 (Prather 9, Butler 8). Fouls: MSU 22, AP 19. Fouled out: MSU (Baker). Assists: MSU 14 (Jackson 6), AP 19 (Ford 7). Technical fouls: MSU (Baker, Tarcin).
