Rams Join Elite Eight With 76-75 Upset Of No. 2 Seed Azusa Pacific 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The University of Mobile (28-9) overcame a 17-point first half deficit and survived a frenzy-filled seven lead changes in the final eight minutes to take down the second-seeded Azusa Pacific University Cougars (32-5) 76-75, in the second round of the NAIA National Tournament.

Having the composure of a veteran team the Rams turned up the defensive pressure valve to set up a final minute that saw three lead changes and Chris Bolden emerge as hero as he calmly drained two free throws with 20 seconds left to give the Rams their final edge.

“I don’t think Mobile made any adjustments at halftime other than to play harder and get after it in the second half,” Azusa Pacific Head Coach Bill Odell said. “They made it a little more physical than we like to play, and we didn’t handle it.”

Down 76-75, the only thing that stood between the Cougars and victory was the length of the court and 20 seconds. However, it was that good old Niland defense that forced Azusa’s Ryan Dillon to take a desperation three-pointer with time running out rather than executing the play drawn up by Coach Odell.

“Mobile did a good job at the end on our last shot,” the 13-year veteran coach said. “I wanted Spencer [Foster] to take the last shot but he didn’t think he had it.”

Taking a 6-5 lead with 17:22 to go in the first half, the Rams wouldn’t see a lead again until 8:07 to go in the second half. The Cougars spent the next 12 minutes building a 17-point lead by outscoring Mobile 31-13.

“I knew they were good offensively,” Coach Niland said, commenting on the team’s composure held during the first-half deficit. “I knew there would be swings and some hard times in the game, but I told them that we need to hang in there and do our thing. I wanted to see if we could wear them down. What started to happen was that they were wearing us down because we’re not used to playing at that tempo. But then our guys caught a little gas and we really picked it up.”

A Tramaine Perry three-pointer sparked a 9-0 Rams run that cut the lead, 42-36. The Cougars scored the final two buckets to take a 46-36 lead at the half.

A frenetic 8-of-17 three-point shooting display by Azusa allowed the Cougars to hold the advantage as everything else was held equal. Both teams shot better than 50 percent in the half and neither team held a sizeable rebounding or turnover advantage.

It was another three-point field goal from Perry that sparked a 12-6 Mobile run in the second half, as the Rams cut the Azusa lead, 54-52 with 12:01 on the clock. Perry followed up the long-range bomb with a three-point play as he drove to the hoop and drew the foul.

“Today he stepped it up and got some things going,” Coach Niland said of Perry’s heroics. “We got into foul trouble and he really had to step it up for us.”

Azusa responded with a Ryan Dillon three-pointer and opened their lead back to seven, 59-52, after a Danny Rosales field goal.

Mobile’s Chris Bolden responded on the next possession as he drew a foul while shooting a three. Making all three free-throws was a foreshadowing of what was to come.

UM took their first lead of the game with 8:07 left. Gabe Feagin drove the lane and drew a foul while making an acrobatic lay-up. Incidentally, it was also a disastrous moment for Azusa as starting point guard Larry English went down with a leg cramp.

“He had 14 points in 29 minutes, and he would have played at least six of those last eight minutes,” the Cougars head coach said. “He certainly would have got some shots off and made some things happen. Kasey [Meyers] played well but he was a little over-matched against Feagin.”

Coach Niland echoed those sentiments. “Larry English going down with a cramp ended up being a huge factor. He’s an excellent player.”

Feagin completed the three-point play, giving Mobile a 60-59 lead.

An intense battle and seven lead exchanges ensued but Mobile survived and will move onto the quarterfinals.

“This is the biggest game we’ve played,” Coach Joe Niland said. “We just defeated the No. 2 team in the country. That’s a big win.”

Mobile was led by Tramaine Perry’s 20 points and seven rebounds. Gabriel Feagin (17 points and seven assists), Seluynn Palmer (12 points) and Gimel Lewis (10) rounded out Rams scoring in double figures.

Azusa Pacific was led by Brett Michel’s 17 points, Lance Soderberg’s 15, with Larry English and Ryan Dillon each adding 14.

“It was a dream season,” Coach Odell said. “There probably wasn’t a spot on the court tonight where Mobile wasn’t more athletic than us, and that’s kind of the way it’s been all year. But these guys did it with smarts, team work and everything a coach could dream of. We believed in each other.”

The Rams will play the winner of the Oklahoma City versus Lewis-Clark State, Saturday, at 6 p.m. in the quarter finals.

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