Atherton, Calif. – Arizona Christian University (3-0) overcame a 36-32 halftime deficit with a 41-28 rally in the second half and defeated Menlo College (2-6), 73-64, at the Lamont Ramsey Classic, hosted by Menlo College in the Haynes-Prim Pavilion in Atherton, California, Friday, November 23. 

The 2012-13 team became to fourth ACU team in the last 27 seasons to win its first three games of the season and just two have won their first four - the 1996-97 team won its first four games on its way to a 21-8 season; the 1988-89 team is the only ACU team to win its first five, and the 1986-87 squad started out 3-0. 

The Firestorm, led by first-year head coach Jeff Rutter, take on California State University- Maritime from Vallejo, California, at Menlo College's Lamont Ramsey Classic, Saturday, Nov. 24, at 3 p.m., Arizona time. 

A three-pointer by sophomore reserve forward Bryant Avent (Phoenix, Ariz./Valley Christian H.S.) tied the score at 15 with 12:23 left in the first half, but Menlo followed with a 17-6 run over nearly eight minutes and led 32-21 with 4:46 left. ACU contributed 11 first-half turnovers to help the Oaks' widen their lead. Menlo's run featured eight consecutive points, including 2 three-pointers by junior guard Charles Barnes and five points by reserve guard Tereno Winn. 

ACU closed the first half on an 11-4 run, with junior guard Charles King (Houston, Tex./Stephen F. Austin H.S./Phoenix College) scoring five points and senior guard A.J. Koch (Tucson, Ariz./Flowing Wells H.S.) scoring four, and trailed just 36-32 at intermission. King tallied 12 first-half points, and Koch scored nine, and ACU made 13 of its 25 field goals (.520) and four of its five three-point field goal attempts (.800) in the first 20 minutes while Menlo shot .483 from the field (14-29) and .400 from three-point range (4-10). 

ACU scored the first four points of the second half and tied the score at 36 with 19:21 left in the game and went ahead 38-37, its first lead of the game since 2-0 early, at 18:13. King later scored six consecutive points and gave a 51-44 lead with 11:21 remaining in the game, the first of ACU's 5 seven-point leads in the second half. 

Menlo made no field goals in a span of nearly 10 minutes from the 16:02 mark of the second half until 6:31, but stayed close by making nine free throws in 10 attempts. A three-pointer by freshman guard David Abittan broke the drought, and Abittan drilled a pair of free throws at 5:28 to sliced ACU's lead to 57-55. Menlo made just 5 of its 21 second-half field goal attempts (.238), while ACU made 12 of 25 (.480). 

Three free throws in a span of 14 seconds by junior guard Jordan Block (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Claremont H.S./Pasadena City College), and two free throws and a lay-up by Koch following a Menlo turnover put ACU up 64-55 with 3:50 left, the first of three 9-point Firestorm leads late in the game. ACU preserved its victory with six free throws in the final minute. 

Charles King, who averages 15 points so far this season, finished with 20 points for ACU with 2 three-pointers, five rebounds, two steals and one assist, and Block, the Firestorm's leading scorer this season with a 17.3 average, finished with 16 points, 12 in the second half, a team-high eight rebounds, and two steals. Koch, who averages 13.7 points, totaled 13 points, nine in the first half, on 5 of 6 shots and hit one three-pointer and had two assists and one steal, and junior guard Mason Jones (Huntington Beach, Calif./Ocean View H.S./Eastern Oregon Univ.) contributed nine points, seven in the second half, one three-pointer, two rebounds, and a season-high six steals. Junior forward Daniel Cornelius (Phoenix, Ariz./Phoenix Christian H.S.) added 10 points, eight in the second half, and four rebounds, and freshman forward Jackson Helms (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta Valley H.S.) finished with two points, five rebounds and one steal. 

Junior forward Keith Bowman led Menlo with 16 points and made 10 of his 14 free throws and gathered seven rebounds, and Charles Barnes finished with 15 points, 3 three-pointers, three rebounds, four assists and one steal. Abittan contributed 12 points, 2 three-pointers and five rebounds and went 6 for 6 at the free throw line, and guard Malik Dunbar added 12 points, five rebounds and one steal. Reserve guard John Smith stole the ball five times for Menlo.