IRVINE, Calif. - In the first PacWest home game of the season for the Golden Eagles, they took on the Azusa Pacific Cougars.

As the referee threw up the jump ball to start the game, both teams fought extremely hard for the game's first possession. In a flash, Concordia's Jaden Henderson picked up the loose ball and scored a layup immediately for the first points of the game.

If there was any indication of how this game would be played, the crowd knew they were in for a treat.

Both teams made their runs early in the game with continuous back-and-forth action. After APU went on a 7-0 run in the middle of the first, Joseph Locandro put the Golden Eagles offense on his back. Scoring 13 straight points for CUI, he accounted for 16 total points from the 11th minute to the 7:30 mark of the first half.

After Locandro's scoring run, the offensive onslaught was capped off with a Kaden Minter three, allowing the Golden Eagles to go up eight points. Just before the half, the Cougars hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to six, and the teams went into their locker rooms with the score 41-35 in favor of CUI.

Coming back from the half, CUI's plan of action seemed to be to attack the Cougar's zone defense while playing scrappy defense themselves. Leading the charge for CUI's style of defense was Jayce Catchings. As soon as APU went on a run to put them up by four points, Catchings would take that run personally. Stealing the ball in back-to-back positions led to Golden Eagles three-point jump shots from Minter and Jaden Henderson to put CUI back on top 59-56 with nine minutes left to go in the game.

Catchings was credited with a career-high seven steals by the time the night was over.

To end the night, the Golden Eagles would go on a 10-2 run to help lift CUI over the Cougars with a final score of 75-65.

"Every game is going to be a hard match," said CUI head coach Ken Ammann. "Everyone in this league is going to be hard (to beat). You can't afford to drop home games, especially if you have a chance to win them. That was a really important team win for us. We had two tough road losses, and we had to work at this one, but we got the result we wanted."

To follow more men's hoops, CLICK HERE to view the full CUI schedule.

If you aren't doing anything this upcoming Saturday, Dec. 14, stop by or tune in for their next home game against Point Loma at 7 p.m. following the women's game at 5 p.m.!