[Box score]

SAN DIEGO - No one can ever say the Point Loma men's basketball program didn't have to earn it's first-ever win in the Pacific West Conference. After opening its first 10 games of league play with four games that were decided by eight points or less, and another three that was single-digit deficits with less than eight minutes, the Sea Lions finally got in the win column with a 57-56 win over Notre Dame de Namur on Monday, Feb. 4.

AJ Ussery gave PLNU its first lead since early in the first half when he hit a contested, driving layup with 13 seconds left in the game to put PLNU up one (57-56). NDNU came back down the floor and set up a play to tie or win the game. NDNU's Geoff Hoffman drove the lane and tried to dish to one of the Argonauts' post players but Ussery stepped into the passing lane and stole the ball to seal the PacWest win for Point Loma.

"Tonight it looked like we knew we could come back," said PLNU head coach Bill Carr. "Even though they kept punching we kept fighting, fighting and fighting and eventually got to see the fruits of our labor."

The comeback was fueled by the Sea Lions' work on the defensive end and a trio of freshmen. PLNU trailed 32-21 at the half and by as many as 13 points in the second half. Ussery would get a 17-6 PLNU run started with three straight layups, but it would be Sam Okhotin and Arren Wells that sustained the momentum to get the Sea Lions back within two (44-42) with 10 minutes remaining. Okhotin scored eight straight points for PLNU during the run and Wells had all seven of his points to set up the dramatic game-winning shot by Ussery.

"It was a good, aggressive play on AJ's part," Carr explained. "Those are things we wanted from him all season and it is never too late."

Okhotin scored a career-high 19 points in the contest. He was 8-of-15 from the field and 3-of-6 from long range. Ussery also notched a season-high with 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting. He also added a game-high eight rebounds and four steals.

"I thought all three freshmen (Wells, Trevor Peterson and Okhotin) did well and gave us good energy tonight," said Carr. "It was good to see those kids grow up a little and get a win."

The Sea Lions dominated in the paint and on the glass to earn the win. They outscored NDNU 36-6 on points in the paint and outrebounded them by 10 on the offensive glass (16-6).

The Argonauts hung in the contest by hitting 13 shots from behind the arc. Wesley White lead the team with 15 points and six rebounds.

The win snaps a nine-game skid for Point Loma. The Sea Lions are now 4-15 on the season and 1-10 in the PacWest. NDNU has now lost six straight games to drop to 5-15 on the season (4-8 PacWest).

The Sea Lions will now begin a five-game road trip, with the first four in Hawaii. They will open with Hawaii Pacific on Saturday (Feb. 9) and then face BYU-Hawaii on Monday (Feb. 11).