Box Score HONOLULU, HI (December 4, 2013) – The Hawai'i Pacific Men's Basketball Team (3-1, 1-0) opened up Pacific West Conference play on Wednesday night with a 76-61 win over UH Hilo (3-6, 0-3). Four Sea Warriors registered double-figure scoring nights.  

If the first four plus minutes of the game was wiped out, HPU delivered nearly a flawless performance. Both teams could not score in the opening three minutes, and when the scoring drought was broken, it was a basket for UHH. With 15:51 left in the first half, Justin Long tied the game at two. After another Vulcan make, John Horowitz drained a three-ball to give HPU a 5-4 lead with 15:12 to play in the half. HPU did not trail again.

By the 11:43 mark, HPU's lead grew to 10 on a three-pointer from Malte Ziegenhagen. It was Long's turn to connect from deep with 8:05 left to put HPU up 21-10. An 8-0 run by UHH over the next four minutes made Sea Warrior fans sweat, but HPU responded. HPU answered with an 11-3 run capped by a Farbod Farman lay in with less than a minute to play. The Sea Warriors went to the locker room with a 34-23 lead.   

UH Hilo hung around to open the second half, working the lead down to six points three different times. With 11:18 remaining in the game, HPU led 48-42. A 9-0 spurt by the Columbia Blue and Kelly Green essentially ended the game. HPU eventually built a 23 point lead before letting the reserves see some action.

"I am very pleased with our defensive effort," said Head Coach Darren Vorderbruegge. "Although we looked like a team that had not played a game in 10 days offensively, we kept grinding and made some plays down the stretch."  
          
Ziegenhagen led the way with 16 points on a hot shooting night. He went 6-10 from the floor including 2-3 from distance and 2-2 from the line. Long added 13 points, but also did well in the role of distributor, passing out seven assists. Farman racked up a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Rema Lascelles had a solid all-around game with 10 points, five rebounds and four assists.

HPU now makes one of the shortest road trips in the country as its plays at Chaminade on Saturday. Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. at McCabe Gym.