LAS VEGAS (Dec. 15) -- Yusef Aziz scored four points in the final 35 seconds and finished with a season-high 25 as 15th-ranked Seattle Pacific University dealt No. 8 Henderson State (Ar.) its first loss of the season, 68-63 in the first round of the High Desert Classic Saturday night at McDermott Center.

The Falcons (7-1) scored the final five points of the game to earn their seventh straight win and extend their streak of December victories to 19 in a row over four seasons. Henderson State, which had won its first seven games by no less than 12 points, fell to 7-1.

Aziz (Jr., 6-4, Seattle, Wa./Foster-Highline CC) snapped the game's ninth and final tie at 63-all on a driving layup with 35 seconds left. Nick Johnson (Sr., 6-3, Burlington, Wa./Burlington-Edison) then stole a pass and Aziz was intentionally fouled with 6 seconds to go. After Aziz made both free throws, Maurice Cato (Jr., 6-0, Fairfield, Ca.) was fouled on the inbounds pass and scored the game's final point.

Aziz scored 20 of his points in the second half and converted nine of 11 field goals overall. He also added five rebounds.

Seattle Pacific led virtually the entire game, although it trailed at halftime on a late 3-pointer by Henderson State's Tarvoris Uzoigwe. A 7-0 spurt gave SPU a 63-56 advantage on Eric Sandrin's (Sr., 6-10, Bothell, Wa./Shorecrest) layup with 2:18 left. But the Reddies responded with seven straight points of their own to equalize on an Uzoigwe basket with 1 minute to go.

Johnson contributed 12 points, Brannon Stone (Sr., 6-9, Oak Harbor, Wa.) 11 and Sandrin 10 for the Falcons, who overcame 39 percent shooting by outscoring HSU 17-9 at the foul line.

Corey Peters led Henderson State with 19 points and Uzoigwe added 14.

Niki Arinze, a transfer from Wake Forest who had come into the game averaging 21.3 and 12.1 rebounds, was just 4-14 from the floor and had 10 points and 10 boards.

SPU faces Ashland (Oh.) Sunday in the final game of the 14-team tournament. Central Washington defeated Ashland 87-84 in an earlier first round game.

HENDERSON ST. -- Hamilton 2, Uzoigwe 14, Peters 19, Strong 16, Arinze 10, Wesley 0, Washington 0, Jones 0, Gersch 0, Kimbro 2.

SEATTLE PACIFIC -- Cato 1, Aziz 25, Stone 11, Johnson 12, E. Sandrin 10, Lee 0, Bellessa 0, Keely 2, Woodard 2, D. Sandrin 5.

Halftime--HSU 28, SPU 25.