Box Score    Photo gallery

SAN DIEGO - AJ Ussery was in the right place at the right time to hit a game-winning layup with 0.3 seconds left and lift the Point Loma men's basketball team to a 65-63 upset of No. 18 Dixie State (Jan. 25).

With the game was tied 63-63 and 25 seconds left Point Loma (11-7, 6-6 Pacific West Conference) held out for the final shot. They worked the ball into the corner to Hayden Lescault for a 3-pointer but his shot attempt was blocked. Ussery was able to gather the ball just outside the paint and make the game-winning layup to beat the buzzer.

"Late in the game both teams were grinding, playing hard and getting some big stops," PLNU head coach Bill Carr explained. "(On the last play) we got a nice bounce and AJ finished it. I am very proud of him and really happy that he will have this memory for the rest of his life."

That basket capped off a night for Ussery in which he led PLNU with nine rebounds and three blocks to go along with seven points. Lescault led Point Loma in scoring with 21 points while also adding five assists and three blocks. Marek Klassen also poured in 12 points for the Sea Lions.

Zach Robbins led Dixie State (14-3, 8-3 PacWest) with a double-double of 26 points and 11 rebounds. DeQuan Thompson (12 points) was the only other Red Storm student-athlete in double-figures.

PLNU was seeking revenge from a two-point loss earlier in the season at Dixie State. After a slow start Point Loma picked up the pace at the end of the half to take a 30-28 lead into halftime as Klassen hit a fast break layup right before the halftime horn.

Dixie State fought back to regain the lead in the second half but never led by more than five points. DSC was up two at 58-56 with just under four minutes left after Robbins hit a twisting layup on the baseline. Lescault answered on the next possession to tie the game at 58-58. After a defensive stand by PLNU Klassen hit a 3-pointer and Lescault made 1-of-2 free throws to put PLNU in front by four (62-58) with 1:03 remaining. The teams then traded free throws with PLNU making one and DSC two to put the Red Storm down three with 25 seconds left.

They ran a play for their shooter DeQuan Thompson to get a 3-pointer. As he came off the screen on the left side of the court and caught the ball, a Point Loma defender was caught reaching and Thompson smartly shot the ball to earn three free throws. He made all three to tie the game at 63-63 and set up the heroics by the senior forward Ussery on the other end of the court.

"We've played a lot of close games in conference and that is what you are going to do in a conference as competitive as the PacWest is with so many good coaches and players," said Carr. "It is nice to win one when we get some fortune our way.

"Dixie State is the team everyone in our league is chasing," Carr continued. "They have been the gold standard of the PacWest for a while so a win over them is a signature win for our program."

This was the first of seven home games in their final nine contests for the Sea Lions. They will host a pair of PacWest teams next week. PLNU will face Dominican (CA) on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 7:30 p.m., and Academy of Art on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 4:00 p.m.

"Sometimes it is easier to get revved back up to play after a loss but now we have to be mature and get ready to go after a big win. We can't let our guard down and we have to use this momentum to get better this week."