Box Score LAIE, Hawai'i — Hawai'i Pacific University used a 13-4 run midway through the first half to launch the Sharks to a 97-69 PacWest Conference victory over BYU-Hawaii Saturday night at the Cannon Activities Center.
 
The Sharks (10-0, 4-0), who are just under the Top 25, maintained sole possession of the PacWest lead with the win. The Seasiders (3-8, 1-4) dropped their fourth straight with the loss.
 
The 28-point margin equaled the largest margin of victory by the Sharks over the Seasiders in series history.
 
"I was so proud of how well we played defense," said HPU head coach Darrin Vorderbruegge. "We forced 22 turnovers and dominated the boards. Our defense really keyed our offensive performance."
 
Swingman Chauncey Orr, the 6-4 graduate student from Bowling Green, Ky./Bowling Green, collected his fifth double-double and fourth 20-plus game with his game-leading 24 points and 15 rebounds. His 15 boards are the most that Orr has grabbed this season.
 
Senior Jordan Martin the 5-11 guard from Goodyear, Ariz./Millennium, scored 18 points, while guard Connor Looney, the 6-2 senior from Palmer, Alaska/Palmer, chalked up 12 points with five assists and four steals. Sophomore Nikola Urli, a forward from Zagreb, Croatia, added 10 points for the Sharks.
 
BYU-Hawaii got 16 points from both Tanner Nelson and Denhym Brooke, while Gabriel Andrade collected 14 points. Caeleb Roney just missed a double-double with nine points and eight boards.
 
HPU shot 48 percent from the floor (35-of-73), 53 percent from the 3-point arc (8-of-15) and 76 percent from the free throw line (19-of-25). The Seasiders hit 42 percent from the floor, making 22 of just 52 shots. BYUH hit 9-of-23 from the 3-point arc (39 percent) and 16-of-22 from the foul line (73 percent).
 
The Sharks outrebounded the Seasiders 46-29 and forced 22 turnovers while suffering 14 themselves.
 
The game was tight early with a tie and five lead changes in the first five minutes.
 
With the contest tied 11-all, sophomore Darnell Bettis, a 6-1 guard from Los Angeles, Calif./University got a steal and a layup to key a 13-4 run over the next seven minutes and the Sharks never trailed again.
 
After leading 45-31 at the half, the Sharks kept it rolling eventually opening a 35-point second half lead before settling for the 28-point win.
 
It's the third win for the Sharks in the PacWest Hawai'i Challenge this season.
 
While HPU won't play a PacWest game again until January, the Sharks will be in action on Monday afternoon against Northern New Mexico. Tipoff is set for 1:30 p.m. at Moanalua High School Gym.