HONOLULU — No. 8 Hawai'i Pacific University held its third opponent under 50 points on the season as the Sharks rolled Point Loma 73-46 Thursday nigth in PacWest Conference play at the Moanalua High School Gym.
 
The eighth-ranked Sharks (24-2, 16-2) takes a half-game lead of the PacWest over idle California Baptist. CBU plays Saturday with HPU idle. The Sea Lions (13-11, 9-10) dropped its second straight as they opened a 3-game swing on Ohau.
 
"Our defense played very well tonight," said HPU head coach Darren Vorderbruegge. "And our defense helped start our offense to where we were able to play everyone. And it was great to be back with a full squad."
 
The Sharks were once again led by senior Chauncey Orr, the 6-4 swingman from Bowling Green, Ohio/Bowling Green, who scored 18 points with six rebounds and four assists. Senior Connor Looney, the 6-2 guard from Palmer, Alaska/Palmer, scored 14 points with two steals, while junior Deven Riley, a 6-3 forward from Wildomar, Calif./Elsinore came off the bench with 10 points. Senior Colfax Nordquist, the 6-3 forward from Elk Grove, Calif./Pleasant Grove led the Sharks with seven rebounds and four steals as he scored five points with three assists.
 
Point Loma was paced by Sterling Somers with 14 points and five rebounds, while Zach Burnham added eight points with a game-high nine rebounds.
 
HPU shot 45 percent from the floor (27-of-60), with 29 percent from the 3-point arc (8-of-28). The Sharks made 11-of-14 free throws (79 percent). PLNU was held to just 36 percent from the floor (19-of-53), and just 4-of-23 from the arc (17 percent). The Sea Lions made only 4-of-13 (31 percent) from the foul line.
 
Point Loma out rebounded HPU 38-36, but also suffered 19 turnovers to the Sharks seven.
 
The Sea Lions hit a pair of 3-pointers on their first two shots for a 6-0 lead before the Sharks scored. PLNU had a 10-5 lead two-and-a half minutes in when the Sharks struck first with a 5-0 run to tie the score at 10 on a layup and free throw by Looney.
 
PLNU got a 3-pointer from Skyler White for its final lead at 13-10 with 13:58 to play, only to see Orr bury a triple 14 seconds later. Orr followed with a second 3-ball that started an 11-0 run. The Sea Lions added a layup only to have HPU drop a 14-0 run for an extended 25-2 stretch over 12 minutes and a 25-5 run to end the half. HPU led 37-20 at the half.
 
The second half saw Looney with a layup and a 3-pointer from Nordquist to ignite a 14-6 run in the first five-and-a half minutes to build a 25-point lead.
 
HPU would build a 34-point advantage, before settling for the 27-point 73-46 win.
 
The Sharks get a few days rest before they host their final home game of the season on Monday. Dixie State, a game behind HPU and Cal Baptist in the loss column in third in the PacWest, visits for a 6:30 p.m. contest at the Moanalua Gym. HPU then closes the season a week from Saturday (Feb. 25) against cross-town rival Chaminade in McCabe Gym.