HONOLULU – Hawai'i Pacific University collected its fourth straight win as it opened PacWest Conference play with an 83-60 victory over Biola (Calif.) on Thursday evening at the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena.
 
The Sharks (4-1, 1-0) dominated the conference newcomer Eagles (1-4, 0-1) that played their first-ever PacWest contest against HPU.
 
"This was a great way to open conference play," said HPU head coach Reid Takatsuka. "It's not often that everyone plays and scores like we did tonight. We played well."
 
The Sharks were led again by senior forward Jessi Reeves of Coffs Harbour, Australia/John Paul, who just missed a double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds along with a blocked shot. Junior guard Brittany Allen of Richlands, Va./Richlands came off the bench with 15 points, while junior forward Gabriella Fotu of Auckland, New Zealand/Rangitoto collected 14 points with three rebounds, a block and two steals. Freshman forward Alysha Marcucci of Melbourne, Australia/Marist-Sion, added 11 points with a block and two steals.
 
Biola was paced by Jazz Benn with 18 points and eight rebounds, and DeMoria White with 18 points and five boards. Sara Dougan added 12 oints with a block.
 
HPU shot 47 percent from the floor (29-of-62), but just 38 percent (8-of-21) from the 3-point arc. The Sharks hit 65 percent from the foul line (17-of-26). HPU held the Eagles to just 33 percent from the floor (17-of-52), however connected on 47 percent (8-of-17) from the arc. BU made 18-of-29 from the charity stripe (62 percent). HPU outrebounded Biola 39-36 and forced the Eagles into 16 turnovers while committing nine.
 
The Sharks opened the first quarter with a 10-3 run for a quick lead on a Fotu jumper in the lane, only to have the Eagles close the period on a 5-0 run and tie the game at 13 on a pair of Kayla Macedo free throws just before the quarter closed.
 
HPU never trailed again after an 8-0 run to start the second quarter keyed by back-to-back 3's from Allen and junior guard Janessa Manzano of San Francisco, Calif./St. Ignatius. Then the pesky Eagles chipped away and pulled back to within a point on a White layup with 4:31 to play to make it 25-24.
 
The Sharks answered with a 10-0 run that became a 16-3 run to close the half when a steal by Fotu became a layup at the buzzer by Marcucci that gave HPU a 41-27 lead at halftime.
 
The third quarter featured a 13-2 Shark run started by a Fotu layup and was capped on a pair of Reeves free throws and the rout was on, punctuated by a 30-foot 3-point trey by senior guard Spencer Gray of Centerville, Ohio at the horn to end the quarter for a 63-40 lead.
 
The Sharks and Eagles played even in the final quarter, subbing freely and capped the game on a free throw by sophomore guard Starr Rivera of Honolulu, Hawai'i/Roosevelt for the 83-60 final.
 
The Sharks continue early season PacWest play on Saturday afternoon when they host Concordia Irvine in a 1 p.m. contest at the Blaisdell Arena.