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SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Senior Greg Murray poured in 23 points, including the game-deciding 3-pointer as Point Loma Nazarene ousted NAIA No. 7-ranked Azusa Pacific 67-65 Tuesday night in Golden Gym.

Sophomores Marek Klassen and Hayden Lescault added 14 and 13 points respectively as the Sea Lions (12-4, 5-2 GSAC) moved into a four-way tie for first place in the Golden State Athletic Conference standings. Azusa Pacific dropped to 14-4 overall and to 4-3 in the GSAC.


With APU leading 64-62 and a minute remaining, the Sea Lions needed a big play. Lescault dribbled into the paint, spun and found Murray waiting outside the arch. Murray buried the trey with 52 seconds left to give the Green and Gold the lead for good.

The Sea Lions played perhaps their most controlled game of the season, giving up just 10 turnovers and harassing the Cougars to 17. Additionally, both PLNU and APU shot well from the field, finishing at 49 and 53 percent respectively. The Cougars did win the battle of the boards 33-27.

PLNU jumped out to an early 13-4 advantage that included buckets by six different Sea Lions. They attacked the rim with power and finesse and finished with 11 free throw attempts in the first half alone.
 
With the exception of the opening jump shot by Klassen and a few 3-pointers, all of the Sea Lion's first half points came inside the paint, most notably a monster dunk through traffic by Murray.
 
On the defensive end, the Sea Lions badgered the Cougars, and APU simply could not get a shot to fall at first. They started out shooting 0-6 from the floor.
 
Eventually the Cougars found their stride and began chipping into the Sea Lions' lead, beginning with a 6-0 run that cut the lead to just three.
 
The teams continued to battle back and forth with intense man-to-man defense and physical post play, but with just over four minutes left in the half, APU took its first lead of the game at 25-23 on a jumper by Tyler Monroe.
 
The Sea Lions struck back with a couple of Jake Johnston free throws and a beautiful spin move in the lane by sophomore Anthony Ussery to grab the lead again.
 
The lead would shift a few more times, and after a desperation heave by senior Rhett Beal, the score remained tied at 32 going into halftime.
 
The Cougars opened the second half strongly, hitting a pair of jumpers to go up 36-32, but the Sea Lions responded with drives by Lescault, Klassen and Murray to take over once more.
 
As the game progressed, both squads fought and lead shifted several times. With just over 12 minutes remaining, Klassen drove in a finished a reverse layup to put the Sea Lions on top 49-48. Then Klassen stole the ball, and an alley-oop layup by Murray pushed the lead to three, forcing Azusa coach Justin Leslie to call timeout.
 
The Sea Lions pushed their lead up to four, but a 3-pointer by Robert Sandoval cut it back to just one with seven minutes to go. Lescault made one of two three throws, but a layup by Sandoval with six minutes left evened the score at 56. Sandoval would finish the game as Azusa's leading scorer with 15 points.
 
A couple of failed possessions later, Klassen found Beal underneath to an easy lay-in to go up 58-56. But the Cougars recaptured the lead back-to-back buckets by Monroe and Sandoval.
 
Finally, with one minute left, Murray's trey gave the home team the lead for good. After a couple of intentional foul shots, the Sea Lions held on to a 67-65 lead with eight seconds left.
 
The Cougars then fumbled away their last possession, and the Sea Lions celebrated their fifth straight conference win and second straight over a ranked opponent.

APU had four players in double figures, with Tyler Monroe contributing a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds.

The Sea Lions next game is at The Master's College in Santa Clarita. Tipoff is slated for 7:30 pm.