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Arizona Christian University

OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE OF ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
90
Arizona Christian ACU 1-9
103
Winner West Coast Baptist WCBC
Arizona Christian ACU
1-9
90
Final
103
West Coast Baptist WCBC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Arizona Christian ACU 41 49 90
West Coast Baptist WCBC 49 54 103

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Steve Schwepker

WCBC Uses Size Advantage to Defeat ACU

Lancaster, Calif. - Forwards Colton Cochran and Carlos Johnson combined for 58 points and 28 rebounds for West Coast Baptist College (7-6; 1-0 PCAC), and the Eagles out-rebounded Arizona Christian University (1-9; 0-1 PCAC), 45-32, led 49-41 at halftime and went on to defeat the Firestorm, 103-90, in Friday, Dec. 16 Pacific Christian Athletics Conference action, at WCBC in Lancaster, Calif. WCBC made 19 of its 28 second-half field goal tries (.679) and out- scored ACU, 54-49, in the second half. 

Both teams made 12 three-point field goals in the game. High scoring games between WCBC and ACU are no surprise -- last time the schools met, ACU captured a 111-108 triple overtime home victory in the 2010-11 season finale. 

ACU looks to end its eight-game losing streak when it plays at La Sierra University (0-10) in Riverside, Calif., Saturday, Dec. 17, in Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) and PCAC action at 8:30 p.m., Arizona time. The Firestorm also competes at the California State University-San Marcos Classic at Mira Costa College in Oceanside, Calif., Dec. 19-20, taking on CSU-San Marcos (4-7), Monday at 8:30 p.m., and Pacific Union (0-8), Tuesday, at 7 p.m. 

Johnson led both sides with 34 points and 21 rebounds, 16 on the defensive end, and made 12 of his 18 field goals, 4 of 8 from three-point range and 6 of 9 free throws. Cochran finished with 24 points on 10 of 14 shots, and had 2 three-pointers, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocked shots and one steal. Forward Travis Burkett totaled 15 points, 2 three-pointers, 7 rebounds, 2 blocked shots and 2 steals, and guard David Sisson contributed 11 points, one three-pointer, 3 assists and one steal. Guard Akeem Smith added 8 points, one three-pointer, 2 rebounds, 4 assists and one steal, and reserve guard Mark Rasmussen scored 7 points and made one three-pointer. 

Junior guard A.J. Koch (Tucson, Ariz./Flowing Wells H.S.) led ACU with a season-high 25 points, hitting 7 of 17 shots and 4 of 6 from three-point range and all 7 of his free throws, and 

had 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. Sophomore guard Albert Suniga (Phoenix, 

Ariz./Tolleson Union H.S.) scored 19 points with 2 three-pointers, 7 rebounds one assist and one blocked shot, and freshman forward Jared Culbert (Henderson, Nev./Coronado H.S.) scored 14 points and had 5 rebounds and 5 assists. 

Senior guard Josh Cole (Phoenix, Ariz./Westview H.S.) finished with 11 points, hitting all three of his three-point attempts, 2 rebounds, 6 assists and one steal, and senior guard Houston Friend (Phoenix, Ariz./Scottsdale Christian Academy H.S.) added 9 points, one three-pointer, 2 rebounds and one assist. Sophomore reserve guard Naheer Mirza (Phoenix, Ariz./Paradise Valley H.S./Vanguard University) finished with 5 points, one three-pointer and one assist in six minutes of action. 

Arizona Christian shot .472 (34-72) from the field for the game, making 16 of 31 in the first half (.516), and made 12 of its 21 three-pointers (.571) and 10 of its 12 free throws (.833) and committed 16 turnovers and stole the ball five times. The Eagles shot .544 from the field for the game (37-68) and .679 in the second half (19-28), made 12 of their 30 three-pointers (.400) and 17 of their 26 free throws (.654). West Coast Baptist out-rebounded ACU, 45-32, and had 17 offensive rebounds while ACU grabbed just 12, committed 14 turnovers, blocked five ACU shots and stole the ball six times. 

WCBC's largest lead of the contest was 15 points, 93-78, late in the second half. The Eagles led throughout the first half, but ACU came back to tie the game twice in the second half before WCBC regained control and won by 13. The Eagles' size advantage was evident in the 25-14 point advantage WCBC enjoyed in scoring from offensive rebounds.
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