Phoenix, Ariz. – La Sierra University (2-14, 2-0 A.I.I., 2-0 PCAC) trailed Arizona Christian University (2-13, 2-2 A.I.I., 0-3 PCAC), 51-44, with 11:32 left in the game, scored 14 consecutive points and took a 58-51 lead with 5:14 left, and held on for a 66-63 victory over the Firestorm, in Tuesday, January 3 Association of Independent Institutions Conference (A.I.I.) and Pacific Christian Athletics Conference (PCAC) action, in ACU's Fultz Memorial Gymnasium. The last time the two teams met on Dec. 17, La Sierra crushed ACU, 75-54. 

ACU hosts Multnomah University (9-7) in a Pacific Christian Athletics Conference (PCAC) contest, Monday, Jan. 9, at 3 p.m., in Fultz Memorial Gym, for its only game next week. 

Arizona Christian trailed 30-22 with four minutes left in the first half but scored nine consecutive points and led 31-30 on a three-pointer by freshman forward Bryant Avent (Phoenix, Ariz./Valley Christian H.S.). La Sierra led 32-31 at intermission, but ACU outscored La Sierra, 14-4, in the first 5:33 of the second half and took its biggest lead of the game, 45-36, on a three- point play by sophomore guard Albert Suniga (Phoenix, Ariz./Tolleson Union H.S.), ACU's leading scorer this season (15.2 ppg). 

Senior guard Houston Friend (Phoenix, Ariz./Scottsdale Christian Academy) scored 17 of his game-high 20 points and drilled 3 three-pointers in the second half. His trey at 11:48 put ACU ahead, 51-44, but senior forward Kenneth Penn scored six points and junior guard Deveon Woods added four during La Sierra's game-deciding 14-0 run and led 58-51 with 5:14 left to play. The Firestorm came back to trail 63-61 with 1:40 left and 65-63 with 50 seconds remaining. Woods made a free throw with 10 seconds left for a 66-63 lead, and Friend missed a long three-pointer with one second left. 

Besides Friend's 20 points and 4 three-pointers, Avent contributed 16 points in his second collegiate contest, made 2 three-pointers and gathered five rebounds, and Suniga added seven 

points, eight rebounds and three steals. Senior guard Joshua Cole (Phoenix, Ariz./Westview H.S.) scored nine points with one three-pointer and had four rebounds and two assists, and sophomore reserve forward Ruben Rivas (Phoenix, Ariz./Verrado H.S.) had four points and four rebounds. Freshman starting forward Jared Culbert (Henderson, Nev./Coronado H.S.) scored just two points and had four rebounds and two steals, but junior guard A.J. Koch (Tucson, Ariz./Flowing Well H.S.) was held scoreless and missed all five of his shot attempts, grabbed five rebounds and had one steal. 

Penn recorded a double-double with 16 points, eight in each half, and 13 rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots, and Woods finished with eight points, two rebounds, two assists, one blocked shot and one steal. Senior forward Joshua Zonker added eight points, seven rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot, and senior guard Miles Robbins totaled eight points, one three- pointer, two rebounds and five assists. Off the bench, junior guard Bennett Shaw contributed eight points, two rebounds and three assists, and senior guard Aaron Snyder drilled 3 three- pointers for nine points.