PHOENIX, Ariz. - Westmont College (18-3, 6-0 GSAC), ranked number six in the NAIA National Top 25 Coaches' poll, outscored Arizona Christian University (13-5, 3-3 GSAC), 16-8, over the final four minutes of the game and escaped from Phoenix with a 78-70 Golden State Athletics Conference victory, Saturday, January 26, in Fultz Memorial Gymnasium. 

Coached by Jeff Rutter, ACU continues the GSAC season with pair of 7:30 p.m. road games (8:30 Arizona time), Tuesday, January 29, at Biola University (12-10, 2-4 GSAC) in La Mirada, Calif., and Saturday, February 2, at The Master's College (13-8, 2-4 GSAC), in Santa Clarita, Calif. The ACU women's basketball team plays the 5:30 first game of the GSAC doubleheaders at Biola and number eight-ranked The Master's College next week. 

In other GSAC men's basketball action Saturday evening, Biola won 76-72 at Concordia University (13-7, 2-4 GSAC), and The Master's College won at home, 81-71, over San Diego Christian College (5-9, 2-3 GSAC). Number 15-ranked Hope International narrowly won at home over Vanguard University, 80-78. 

The first half featured three times and nine lead changes. ACU led for the last time in the game, 25-24, with 5:59 remaining after a steal and lay-up by junior forward Jordan Block (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Claremont H.S./Pasadena City College). Westmont finished the first half with a 15-6 run, including five points by starting guard Preston Branson, and went ahead by as many as 10 points, 39-29, with 2:20 left and led 39-31 at halftime. 

Freshman forward Jackson Helms (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta Valley H.S.) totaled 10 points in the first half to lead ACU, and forward Christopher Miller had nine points and five rebounds in the first half for the visiting Warriors. Both sides committed just four first-half turnovers, and Westmont made 16 of 37 field goals (.432) and went 5-for-19 (.263) from behind the three-point arc, while ACU made 12 of its first 29 shots (.414) and went 3-for-11 from three-point range (.273) in the first 20-minute period. 

Westmont scored the first four points of the second half and later led by 14 points, its widest advantage of the entire game, 51-37, on Branson's three-pointer at the 16:42 mark. However, the Firestorm scored 11 consecutive points, including Block's three-point field goal at 14:37 and a basket and free throw by senior guard A.J. Koch (Tucson, Ariz./Flowing Wells H.S.) at 12:32, and trailed just 51-48 with 12:02 left in the game. 

Westmont rebuilt its lead to 62-54 with 6:03 left, but ACU fought back again with eight consecutive points, including a three-pointer and two free throws by Koch, and a three-pointer from the top of the key by junior forward Daniel Cornelius (Phoenix, Ariz./Phoenix Christian H.S.) that tied the score 62-62 with 4:21 remaining. Westmont guard Jordan Sachs drilled a three-pointer at 3:27 to break the tie, 65-62, and Westmont never trailed again. Koch was fouled while shooting a three-pointer and made three free throws with 34 seconds left, slicing Westmont's lead to 72-69. The Warriors went 11-for-11 from the free throw line, six by Branson, in the final 2:27 as they advanced their lead to nine points with 12 seconds left. 

Koch led ACU in scoring with 16 points, made one three-pointer and 7 of his 8 free throws, and had four rebounds and two assists. Block and Helms each scored 15 points, and Block also made one three-pointer, gathered nine rebounds, passed two assists and stole the ball four times. Helms grabbed six rebounds, blocked three shots and passed three assists. Junior guard Greg Womack (Edmond, Okla./Edmond North H.S./Maryland-Eastern Shore) added six points with a pair of three-pointers and had four rebounds, one blocked shot and one steal, and Cornelius finished with seven points, one three-pointer and three rebounds. ACU's leading scorer, junior guard Charles King (Houston, Tex./Stephen F. Austin H.S./Phoenix College) who averages 15.1 points per game, was held to five points and one three-pointer and also had one blocked shot and one steal. Junior guard Mason Jones (Huntington Beach, Calif./Ocean View H.S./Eastern Oregon Univ.) contributed four points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal. 

Sachs led all scorers in the game with 21 points with 5 three-pointers, nine rebounds and two blocked shots, and Branson added 16 points with a perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line and one three-pointer and two assists. Miller totaled 15 points, one three-pointer, eight rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and two steals, and guard Niko Brooks added eight points, 2 three-pointers, three rebounds and five assists. 6-9 center Daniel Carlin came off the Westmont bench to contribute six points, six rebounds and two assists.