LAIE, Hawai'i. — The Hawai'i Pacific University women pulled away in the fourth quarter to open a close game on the way to a 70-56 over BYU-Hawaii on Thursday evening in PacWest Conference action at the Cannon Activities Center.
 
The Sharks (16-4, 13-2) picked up their third straight win and took both the games in the regular season series. The Seasiders (8-13, 5-10) dropped their fourth straight contest.
 
"It was a win and a tough one against a team battling for a conference tournament berth," said HPU head coach Reid Takatsuka. "We shot badly in the first half, but did much better in the second half. And our defense came through down the stretch."
 
Junior guard Breanna Mackenzie from Melbourne, Australia/Box Hill collected 16 points to lead the Sharks who placed five players in double digits. Forward Cece Pearl of Peoria, Ariz./Peoria, came off the bench for her first double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Junior forward Jessi Reeves of Coffs Harbour, Australia/John Paul College, tallied 12 points with two blocks and two steals, with sophomore forward Gabriella Fotu of Auckland, New Zealand/Rangitoto, posting 11 points and senior guard Brianne Yasukochi of Oceanside, Calif./LaJolla Country Day, scoring 10 points with six rebounds.
 
BYU-Hawaii was led by the Sheikh twins, with Safia scoring a game-high 23 points and Marian 10. Kristin Baldwin had a game-high 13 rebounds to go with seven points.
 
HPU shot just 38 percent from the field (21-of-56), but hit 54 percent (14-of-26) in the second half. The Sharks made only 2-of-9 shots from the 3-point arc (22 percent), the fewest of the season. HPU countered by connecting on 26-of-33 shots from the foul line (79 percent). BYUH was held to just 28 percent from the floor (19-of-68), with only 9-of-40 (22 percent) in the second half. The Seasiders shot 32 percent from the arc (8-of-25) and made 10-of-15 free throws (67 percent).
 
The Sharks had a 47-41 advantage on the boards and force 17 Seasider turnover to 15 of their own..
 
HPU threatened to blow the game open at the game's start, opening with a 7-0 run. The Sharks continued the seven-point lead 11-4 halfway through the first quarter. But HPU wouldn't score at all in the next five minutes, as the Seasiders went on a 9-0 run capped by a 3-pointer by Safia Sheikh with 29 seconds in the period to take a 13-11 – their first of the game – into the quarter break.
 
BYUH carried the run into the second with two more buckets, extending it to 13-0. The Sharks chipped back and got a 6-2 run in the last 90 seconds as Reeves got a layup and put back along with Mackenzie free throws to send the game to the half knotted at 28.
 
The third quarter featured five lead changes and a tie. HPU would take the lead for good when junior reserve center Anna Mumm of Laguna Hills, Calif./Laguna Hills, made a layup with 2:40 left in the period for a 40-38 advantage. Pearl added a layup as well, but a Seasider 3-pointer by Safia Sheikh sent the game to the quarter break at 42-41.
 
The Sharks pulled away in the fourth quarter, opening with an 11-3 run capped by a Mumm jumper for a nine point lead. The Seasiders were forced into a fouling situation and the Sharks answered down the stretch going 11-of-12 in the last 90 seconds to finish with a 14-point, 70-56 win.
 
After four straight road games, the Sharks get to host their next opponent on Saturday as Fresno Pacific visits the Neal S. Blaisdell Center for a 1 p.m. contest.