FRESNO, Calif. - Josh Rodriguez scored a career-high 31 points, and a huge block and resulting three-point play by Zach Burnham with 10 seconds left secured the game for the Point Loma men's basketball team in a 79-76 must-win contest against Fresno Pacific on Saturday (Jan. 23).
 
The Sea Lions have now won three straight games, including their last two on the road at Dixie State and Fresno Pacific, to improve to 10-7 on the season and to 6-5 in the PacWest. Fresno Pacific (9-9) fell to 4-7 in the PacWest with the loss.
 
Rodriguez was 9-of-12 from the field and 10-of-11 from the free throw line en route to posting his career-high in points. He scored 24 of his 31 points in the second half as he was a perfect 6-of-6 from the floor, 3-of-3 from behind the arc and 9-of-9 at the free throw line, while playing all 20 minutes.
 
He got help from his fellow starters, as the starting five combined to score 69 of the Sea Lions' 79 points. Tanner Lancona had 13 points and a career-high six blocks. Zach Burnham added 12 points and Chad Watkins chipped in with 11. Judd Welfringer came off the bench to grab a team-leading nine rebounds, to go along with his eight points.
 
Fresno Pacific led most of the game, going up by as many as 15 in the first half, but PLNU cut it to six points (46-40) right before the half and took their first lead on a Burnham layup with 6:17 remaining. They did not surrender that lead the rest of the way despite multiple late pushes by the Sunbirds.
 
FPU had a chance to tie the game or take the lead with 19.9 seconds left and trailing 76-74. The Sunbirds inbounded the ball and worked it to Roger Paul, who immediately drove to the hoop. He had a clean look at the rim but Burnham flew in and blocked the ball off the backboard to Rodriguez. Burnham turned and sprinted to get behind the defense, and Rodriguez found him on a breakaway pass for a layup with the foul (which Burnham sunk) to give PLNU its largest lead of the game at 79-74 with 10 seconds remaining.
 
FPU would cut the Sea Lions' lead back to three points with a quick layup. Then a charging call went against PLNU on the inbound but FPU was unable to convert its last second 3-point attempt and the Sea Lions won their third straight game in Fresno.
 
Spencer Krannitz led the Sunbirds. He posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 7-of-11 from the field. He was joined in double-figures by Roger Paul with 15, and three other Sunbirds added 10 points apiece.
 
Point Loma outscored FPU by 10 points at the free throw line as the Sea Lions made more free throws (23) than the Sunbirds attempted (16).
 
The Sea Lions will step out of conference play for their next contest against Bethesda on Tuesday, Jan. 26 at 7:00 p.m.