Cal Lutheran Can’t Hold Court, 90-81 : College basketball: Azusa Pacific puts an end to the Kingsmen’s 18-game home winning streak.

Cal Lutheran faced crises at the midpoint of each half against Azusa Pacific Wednesday night.

The Kingsmen rallied with three-point shooting to erase an eight-point deficit in the first half. But when faced with a similar scenario in the second half, turnovers and second opportunities for Azusa Pacific resulted in a 90-81 nonconference men’s basketball defeat for the Kingsmen.

The loss broke an 18-game home-court winning streak for the Kingsmen (3-1) dating to last February.

Derrick Clark had 27 points and seven rebounds for Cal Lutheran but 11 second-half turnovers and a 45-29 rebounding margin for Azusa Pacific (4-2) offset Clark’s contributions.

“We had a tough period with the turnovers; it was an uphill battle we had to fight the rest of the game,” Clark said. “And we couldn’t get on a run at all.”

The Kingsmen lost the lead for good two minutes into the second half and quickly fell behind, 52-45. Cal Lutheran couldn’t get closer than four points the rest of the game.

Raymond Tutt, who scored 32 points, and former Santa Clara High and Ventura College standout Steve Amar, who added 12, kept the Cougars in front down the stretch.

Azusa Pacific’s lead grew to 87-73 with just over a minute left.

Dave Ulloa scored 15 points and Mark Heerema added 14 for Cal Lutheran but Ulloa made only five of 20 shots, including two of 10 from three-point range.

“Usually our shots fall--in the first half they did, in the second they didn’t,” Cal Lutheran Coach Rich Rider said. “Not when we needed them.”

Cal Lutheran’s shooting percentage actually improved in the second half from 42.9% to 50.0% but the Kingsmen made only one of seven three-point shots after intermission. Heerema hit from long range in the final minute after the outcome had been decided.

Azusa Pacifc stayed close in the opening minutes with a powerful inside game. Paul Perkins, who had 14 points and eight rebounds, scored six points as the Cougars missed just one of nine two-point attempts in the first six minutes.

Clark was the Kingsmen offense with 11 early points before picking up his second foul. Azusa Pacific turned a 19-17 deficit into a 30-22 lead with Clark on the bench.

Cal Lutheran responded with a 14-2 run and built a 43-40 halftime lead.