HONOLULU — Hawai'i Pacific University needed a quarter to get started before shifting into high gear to rip Hawai'i-Hilo 67-36 to open PacWest Conference play on Friday night at the Blaisdell Center.
 
The Sharks (3-2, 1-0) shot just 38 percent in the first quarter, then hit 59 percent in the final three periods on the way to the win over the Vulcans (1-3, 1-1).
 
The Sharks played strong defense as well, holding Hilo to just 24 percent from the floor.
 
HPU was led by junior Breanna Mackenzie, a 5-8 guard from Melbourne, Australia/Box Hill, who scored 18 points with five rebounds and three assists. Senior guard VeAnne Navarro of Modesto, Calif./Modesto Christian added 11 points, and freshman guard Danielle Iwami of Seal Beach, Calif./Los Alamitos tossed in 10 points. Senior center Aminata Cole of Anchorage, Alaska/Dimond grabbed six rebounds.
 
Hawai'i-Hilo got seven points from Lauren Hong with six points and seven rebounds from Asia Smith.
 
The Vulcans opened the game with a 3-point field goal from Vanessa Mancera for an early 3-0 lead before HPU answered with a 10-0 run. Mackenzie's layup with 5:59 to play in the quarter gave the Sharks a 4-3 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
 
UHH would come back with a 7-0 run to tie the game at 10 with 54 seconds left in the first, but Navarro followed with a jumper the next time down the floor to give HPU a 12-10 lead after one.
 
The Sharks continued the run into the second quarter adding another 7-0 run to start expanding the lead. The Vulcans played tough, sending the game to the half at 28-20 after HPU's Cole got a layup with 1:49 in the second.
 
HPU came out strong in the second half, shutting down UHH for the last five-and-a half minutes of the third quarter with an 11-0 run for a 45-28 advantage going to the fourth.
 
After allowing a Smith jumper to open fourth quarter scoring for the Vulcans, HPU ripped off a 15-0 run and the rout was on as the Sharks cleaned the bench in winning 67-36.
 
HPU picked up a win in their first PacWest Hawai'i Challenge contest and will host a second on Sunday afternoon when cross-town rival Chaminade comes calling. Tipoff at the Blaisdell Center is at 1 p.m.