SAN DIEGO--A cool start didn't distract No. 1 seed and host Point Loma as the Sea Lions righted the ship for a 78-64 win over No. 8 seed Northwest Nazarene on Friday night in the first round of the NCAA West Region Tournament at Golden Gymnasium. 

Point Loma, ranked No. 4 in the latest NCAA national poll, advances to play the winner of tonight's late game between Academy of Art and Saint Martin's at 7:30 pm on Saturday. The Sea Lions improved to 28-3 on the season, while the Nighthawks cinderella run ends at 15-15.

Kaden Anderson led the Sea Lions with 21 points and 15 rebounds. He also had five assists. The PacWest and West Region Player of the Year had plenty of company in double figures. Brian Goracke and Jake Lifgren had 17 points each, and Tobin Karlberg added 14.

Ryzin Bergerson led NNU with 19.

Northwest Nazarene, who won three games that fell into the upset category in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference tournament, began tonight's game on the same pace. The Nighthawks scored the first eight points of the game as Point Loma made only one of their first six shots from the field. The Sea Lions wouldn't take their first lead of the game until back-to-back baskets by Karlberg made the count 23-21 for the home team with six and a half minutes left in the first half.

Point Loma clamped down on defense from there. NNU didn't score for four and a half minutes and PLNU took a 28-25 lead into the locker room after Goracke's three-pointer. Goracke had 12 at the break and Bergerson led the Nighthawks with 10. 

PLNU added to their lead early in the second half and took a 45-32 margin on Anderson's lay-up at 14:32. But NNU wouldn't go away. They chipped away at the lead and pulled within five points (47-42) on Jaylen Fox's trey with ten minutes left. 

But Point Loma, playing without First Team All-PacWest selection Luke Haupt (out with injury), used three straight offensive scores by the freshman Lifgren. A turnaround jumper, two free throws and a driving lay-up gave the Sea Lions a 55-46 lead. NNU would get no closer than seven points after that. 

The victory was Point Loma's 24th consecutive victory this year. They have not lost since late November, an overtime loss to Western Washington. After a cool first half, PLNU shot 60 percent from the field in the second half.