OAKLAND, Calif. — Hawai'i Pacific University overcame a horrid start with a strong second half on the way to a 55-40 PacWest Conference triumph over Holy Names University Monday evening at Tobin Gym.
 
The Sharks (8-3, 5-1) opened a four-game PacWest Northern California trip with the win. The Hawks (1-13, 1-7) fell for the sixth straight contest.
 
"Definitely not the way we wanted to start the game," said HPU head coach Reid Takatsuka. "We can't do that many times and win. But I am happy the way we regrouped at halftime and took control of the game."
 
It was the Sharks Australian connection that led the way as junior guard Breanna Mackenzie from Melbourne, Australia/Box Hill collected 18 points with eight rebounds, and junior forward Jessi Reeves from Coffs Harbour, Australia/John Paul College, added 10 points with three steals. They were the only Sharks in double figures.
 
Holy Names' Lindsay Littlejohn was the Hawks only double-digit scorer, with 15 points. Tatiana Howard led the Hawks with six rebounds to go with six points.
 
HPU shot only 34 percent for the game (21-of-62), hitting only 3-of-25 shots from the 3-point arc (12 percent). The Sharks were 10-of-15 (67 percent) from the foul line. HNU was held to just 33 percent from the floor (14-of-43), with 3-of-18 (17 percent) from the arc and 9-of-15 (60 percent) from the stripe. HPU outrebounded the Hawks 42-32 while forcing 27 HNU turnovers to 17 of their own.
 
The Sharks opened with a 5-0 run before their shooting woes began. Holy Names got a pair of 3's and a layup from Littlejohn to take the lead extending it to a 14-10 advantage at the end of the quarter.
 
The second period was a defensive struggle as both teams combined for 11 points and shot 19 percent for the quarter. Howard's free throw with 48 seconds left in the half gave HNU a 19-16 lead as the Sharks missed two attempts to tie the game at intermission.
 
HPU battled in the third quarter as Mackenzie collected the Sharks first seven point in the period. But the Hawks answered to where HPU held a two-point 32-30 lead starting the last two minutes of the quarter. The Sharks went on a 9-2 run in the period, capped by Mackenzie's 3-pointer with six seconds remaining to take a 41-32 lead after three quarters.
 
The Sharks opened the fourth with a triple from freshman Danielle Iwami, a guard from Seal Beach, Calif./Los Alamitos, and ended the game on an 8-1 run for a 55-40 final.
 
HPU is back in action on Wednesday evening when they visit Fresno Pacific for PacWest action. Tipoff at the FPU Special Events Center is set for 3:30 p.m HST (5:30 p.m. PST).