FRESNO, Calif. – The #8 ranked Sunbird men’s basketball team defeated Point Loma Nazarene 99-80 in a first-round GSAC tournament playoff game Thursday evening at FPU’s Special Event Center.
With the win, Fresno Pacific improves to 25-6 overall and advances to the semi-finals of the GSAC tournament to be played Saturday, March 7th at Azusa Pacific. The Sunbirds will face #5 seed California Baptist who downed #4 seed Biola University 80-70.
The Sea Lions scored the first basket of the game to take what would be their only lead, but it would be all Fresno Pacific from then on out. The Sunbirds shot 56.7% (38-67) from the field, 52% (13-25) from three-point range, and 66.7% (10-15) from the line on the way to a dominating performance.
Four Fresno Pacific players scored in double figures contributing to the win.
Sunbird senior forward/guard Marcus West led FPU’s offensive effort and scored a game high 25 points, dished out 5 assists and grabbed 5 rebounds. West went 10-17 from the field, 3-6 from behind the arc, and 2-2 from the line.
Junior forward Todd Brown netted 16 points on the night while junior guard James Lewis and junior forward Kendall Holmes also contributed for the Sunbirds scoring 14 points apiece.
FPU Head coach Jim Saia has led the orange and blue to a record setting season which was capped off by the Sunbirds winning their first Conference title since the 1994-95 campaign. This year’s Fresno Pacific squad has set a number of program records including; total wins (25), highest national ranking (#6), longest winning streak (14 games), and most points scored in a single game (122).
PLNU entered tonight’s contest having come off an impressive 72-67 away win over The Masters College last week in their final regular season contest, but could not carry that momentum into tonight’s playoff game. The Sea Lions finish the season 15-16 overall.
Here is a look at the GSAC men’s basketball tournament semi-finals scheduled for this weekend…
#1 Fresno Pacific vs. #5 California Baptist
#2 Concordia vs. #3 Azusa Pacific
(game times are 5:30 & 7:30)