SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Vanguard men's basketball made quite the turnaround on Saturday to take down OUAZ, a team receiving votes in the latest NAIA poll.  One game after not being able to get many open looks, the Lions were highly efficient, shooting 59% for the game and outscoring the Spirit by 16 in the second half to claim an 85-67 victory.  Garrett White (SR/Post Falls, ID) led the team with 28 points and has now eclipsed 1,000 career points as a Lion.  VU goes to 12-10 overall and 6-8 in Golden State Athletic Conference action.  OUAZ falls to 17-7 overall and 9-6 in league play.

What Happened? The first half was very competitive between the two teams, with OUAZ opening the scoring 17 seconds in.  Jackson Larsen (JR/El Cajon, CA) netted the first bucket for the Blue and Gold on the ensuing trip down the court to tie the game, with the score remaining within one possession for the next seven minutes.  OUAZ made back-to-back threes to stretch the gap to six but jumpers from Phillip Willis (SR/San Diego, CA) and Micah Swartz (FR/Newbury Park, CA) would bring the deficit back down to three.  A triple for White and a jumper for Swartz around the eight-minute mark helped to knot the game at 22-22, but the Spirit would claim the advantage again shortly thereafter.

A layup for White with 3:57 left in the period put the Lions ahead for the first time in the game, and conversions for both Bryson Metz (FR/Vancouver, WA) and Kody Knox (SR/Porter Ranch, CA) over the next two minutes would help keep Vanguard ahead.  OUAZ tied the game at 35-35 with 39 seconds to go but the Lions were able to enter halftime with a lead thanks to Mitchell Prevost (JR/Tuolumne, CA), who broke through for a layup with 26 ticks on the clock to put VU ahead 37-35.

Vanguard shot 53.1% from the field in the half and went 2-for-4 from downtown.  White led the team in scoring in the half with seven points.  Nine of the 11 players who entered the game scored for the Blue and Gold.  OUAZ shot at a 42.3% rate in the frame.

The Spirit tied the game on their first possession but the Lions would regain the lead on a Willis free throw.  The next two minutes saw both White and Jadyn Johnson (JR/Temecula, CA) knock down triples, helping the team go on a short 8-2 stretch that gave the Lions a small 46-39 cushion.  A pair of free throws for White at the 14:11 mark put the Lions ahead 55-43, with the lead remaining around 10 points for the next few minutes.    

The Vanguard defense began to lock it down and the frustrated Spirit lineup was unable to close the gap.  Ahead 61-50, the Blue and Gold ran off a 9-4 run that got the lead to 16 at 70-54.  Vanguard was then able to match the Spirit almost shot for shot over the final five minutes to remain out of touch for the 85-67 win.

The Lions shot 65.5% from the field in the second half and ended the game 50% (7-of-11) from deep.  The team was also 50% (6-12) from the charity stripe.  OUAZ was halted in the second half to the tune of a 36% shooting percentage, dropping its game total to 39.2%.  VU out-rebounded the Spirit 32-25. 

White was 11-for-18 from the field, along with making four of his seven attempts from downtown.  Willis was next with 13 points, Larsen had 10, and everyone who played made at least one basket.  Isaac Davis (SR/Valencia, CA) had four assists to lead the squad and four players tied for a team-high four rebounds.

Why is it Important? The win halts a three-game losing skid to the Spirit, as VU goes to 6-3 all-time against OUAZ.  The win also keeps VU on pace with Westmont and with a Menlo loss, the Warriors or the Lions could be in the final playoff position depending on results from this upcoming Thursday.

What was Said? "Our guys showed a ton of heart in their response today after a tough loss on Thursday," said Head Coach Rhett Soliday.  "We were gritty and played together today and had contributions from every single guy that hit the floor.  OUAZ is so talented and well-coached and we had to be at our best to get it done.  It helped that Garrett had 28 points, including some big shots, in the second half.  On to the next game, as we have a tough Westmont team coming to OCC, who is playing as well as anyone right now."

What's Next? The final game between VU and Westmont at the NAIA level, as the Warriors will move up to the NCAA DII next year.  With so much on the line, make sure to get your tickets now to the doubleheader for this classic GSAC rivalry.  The men's game tips off at 7:30 p.m.