Azusa Pacific Advances

Azusa Pacific overcame a slow start and defeated Oklahoma City, 80-72, Saturday in an NAIA Division I men’s quarterfinal game at Kansas City, Mo.

John Bourne scored 20 points for the ninth-seeded Cougars (28-7), who will play fifth-seeded Oklahoma Baptist in a semifinal Monday. It will be Azusa Pacific’s third straight semifinal appearance.

Oklahoma City (26-6) opened the game with a 17-6 run but the Cougars rallied for a 31-30 lead at halftime. The Cougars shot 37% in the first half.

“In the first half, we weren’t making the extra pass,� Coach Bill Odell said. “We were doing too many things on our own. We know we can shoot the ball. We just needed to get open.�

The Cougars shot 60% in the second half and 67% (eight for 12) from three-point range.

Junior Caleb Gervin’s two free throws with 4:13 to play gave the Cougars the lead for good, 66-64. Gervin finished with 17 points.

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Barat 91, Westmont 79--Mitch Pierce led all scorers with 27 points and had 12 rebounds, but the Warriors fell in a quarterfinal at Kansas City, Mo.

The unseeded Warriors (22-10) led, 51-40, with 16:05 to play, but Troy Farrow sparked the comeback effort by 15th-seeded Barat (33-5). He finished with 27 points.

Junior guard Will Gulley had 19 points for Westmont.