Gregory lengthens VU’s run

COSTA MESA — As the only senior on the Vanguard University women’s basketball roster, Lauren Gregory is the Lions’ short-timer.

But it was foul trouble, not the impending end of her collegiate eligibility that shortened her available playing time in Friday’s Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament semifinal against visiting Azusa Pacific.

Gregory, however, was thoroughly productive in her 22 minutes, especially half of those after intermission, when she scored 21 of her 23 points and did not miss from the field or the free-throw line.

Gregory’s heroics, as well as numerous other contributions, helped the No. 2-ranked Lions, the No. 1 seed based on their regular-season GSAC title, earn a 73-71 triumph over the scrappy No. 4-seeded Cougars, to advance to Monday’s tournament title game against rival Point Loma Nazarene.

Vanguard (28-3), the defending NAIA Division I national champion, will play host to Point Loma, the only conference team to defeat the Lions in 22 tries this season, at 7:30 p.m.

Gregory, the only Vanguard player to start every game this season, came off the bench in the second half, as Lions Coach Russ Davis was not eager to expose her to another foul against two strong APU post players.

“She had three fouls [which sidelined her for the final 6:13 of the first half] and I knew [the Cougars] were going to throw the ball inside,” Davis said of his rationale for parking his all-conference veteran on the bench for the first 5:08 of the second half.

“It was awkward, for sure, to come off the bench,” said Gregory, who, well rested, proceeded to wear the Cougars out.

“Fouls happen, but I just had to be ready to get my mind set right and go back in and do my job,” Gregory said. “Tonight, that was getting the lead back. I knew I had to step in and I know this is my time. This is the fun part.”

Gregory had the most fun from the left corner, where she netted all three of her three-point attempts in the final half. She was five for five from the field and eight for eight from the foul line after the break, while also collecting six of her team-high nine rebounds in the final 14-plus minutes. Her barrage of three balls came in a spurt of just less than three minutes, the last of which capping a burst in which she scored 13 straight points for her team.

By the time that was over, Vanguard, well, Gregory, had turned a 40-37 deficit into a 50-45 lead.

“Our senior stepped up big time in the second half,” Davis said. “She stepped up big time.”

Gregory, who missed her first two field-goal tries, made her final six, helping overcome a subpar shooting performance by the rest of her teammates, who were a combined 15 for 49 from the field (30.6%), including just seven for 28 from threedom.

“We didn’t shoot very well tonight,” Davis said. “But we found a way to get it done. It was an ugly game, but good teams find a way to win ugly basketball games.”

Davis said an unforeseen APU matchup zone helped put his team “off kilter,” as APU opened a 19-7 advantage. The Cougars led, 27-19, inside two minutes to go in the half, before Vanguard sophomore point guard Sarah Boyd made a pair of driving layups to spark a 6-0 run to propel the hosts into intermission.

Rachel Copeland opened the second half with a three-pointer, then converted a traditional three-point play. Another Boyd bucket and a subsequent free throw by Copeland gave Vanguard nine points in their first four offensive trips to produce a 34-27 advantage.

But APU, which relied on the inside play of its all-conference duo Kristie Hala’ufia (20 points and eight rebounds) and Alex Moore-Porter (21 points and 10 boards), hung tough.

The two combined to score 24 of their team’s 26 points, during a span of nearly nine minutes, during which APU claimed a 63-62 advantage with 4:22 left.

But Gregory’s driving four-foot runner was followed by Jaclyn Blied’s three-pointer with 3:13 left and Vanguard held on from there.

Moore-Porter’s 15-foot jumper from the wing sailed over the rim and Vanguard rebounded as time expired.

“They’re just an all-around great team and we were lucky to beat them,” Gregory said.

Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament semifinal

Vanguard 73, Azusa Pacific 71

APU – Moore-Porter 21, Hala’ufia 20, Hill 9, Byrd 9, Hall 7, Williams 5.

3-pt. goals – Moore-Porter 1, Hall 1, Byrd 1.

Technicals – Coach Hardeman 1.

VU – Gregory 23, Copeland 12, Pfohl 4, Boyd 11, Neves 6, Reyes 6, Blied 6, Johnson 3, Carlson 2.

3-pt. goals – Gregory 3, Copeland 2, Neves 2, Blied 2, Boyd 1.

Fouled out – Johnson.

Technicals – Coach Davis 1.

Halftime – APU, 27-25.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at barry.faulkner@latimes.com.