Honolulu, HI (December 28, 2012) - December 31st not only marks the end of 2012, but also marks the end of the non-conference schedule for the Hawai'i Pacific men's basketball team. The Sea Warriors are coming off a strong showing in the HPU Basketball Classic where they dispatched Menlo College 84-48 and battled a tough Upper Iowa team. HPU looked great in the first half but Peacocks pulled out the win in the second half.

The Sea Warriors look to gain momentum heading in to PacWest play, beginning with Academy of Art on January 5th, with a tune-up against the Champion Baptist College Tigers. The Tigers are three-time Association of Christian College Athletics National Champions, having won the title in 2007, 2009 and again in 2010.

For the first time this season HPU moves its home court, the Neil S. Blaisdell Center, where it will play seven of its last 10 home games, including three PacWest games in the first nine days of the New Year. 

HPU aims to continue its hot shooting behind the arc; it is currently ranked fifth in the nation in three-point field goal percentage. The Sea Warriors have shot just under 44% from distance hitting 47 of 107 attempts.

Sophomore Malte Ziegenhagen has been a major bright spot for the Sea Warriors, leading the team in scoring. While averaging nearly 15 points per contest, Ziegenhagen is also producing on the glass, currently ranked 15th in the PacWest in defensive rebounding.

Look for HPU to get its big men going against the undersized tigers as the Sea Warriors have five players the same height or taller than Champion's 6'7” Brandon Likins.

After their matchup with champion Baptist, HPU will play at the Blaisdell on the 5th, 7th, and 9th against Academy of Art, Notre Dame de Namur, and Dominican University respectively.