LA MIRADA, Calif.  – Hawai'i Pacific University overcame a four-point deficit with four minutes to play to hold on to the PacWest Conference lead with a 69-61 victory over newcomer Biola on Saturday night at Chase Gymnasium.
 
The Sharks (15-2, 9-1) closed the game on a 13-1 run to win their 11th straight. The Eagles (7-9, 4-6) had their three-game winning streak snapped.
 
 "We got it together in the last four minutes tonight," said HPU head coach Reid Takatsuka. "Biola battled us hard, this has been a long road trip, and it showed. But I'm happy we gutted it out for a win to finish the trip 4-0."
 
The Sharks trailed 60-56 with 4:38 to play when senior forward Jessi Reeves of Coffs Harbour, Australia/John Paul, got a layup cutting the lead to two. The Eagles followed with a free throw by Tatum Brimley with 3:37 left. That would be Biola's final point of the night.
 
Junior guard Samantha Lambrigtsen of Oregon, Ill./Oregon, got the first of three straight layup to start the 11-0 run for the lead and the win.
 
Lambrigtsen led the Sharks with a season-highs of 21 points, eight rebounds and three steals. Reeves added 14 points with six rebounds and three steals, while freshman forward Alysha Marcucci of Melbourne, Australia/Marist-Sion, followed suit with 14 points, five boards and three swipes. Junior forward Gabriella Fotu of Auckland, New Zealand/Rangitoto, also had three steals with eight points.
 
DeMoria White led the Eagles with a game-high 24 points and four steals, with Jazz Benn adding 13 points. Mikayla Greens chipped in seven points with a game-high 11 rebounds and a block.
 
The Sharks connected on 46 percent (26-of-57) from the field, but just 27 percent (6-of-22) from the 3-point arc. They tallied 11-of-16 (69 percent) from the free throw line. BU shot 43 percent (21-of-49) from the floor, including 9-of-26 (35 percent) from the arc. The Eagles were 10-of-17 (59 percent) from the foul line. HPU outrebounded Biola 38-30, and committed fewer turnovers 22 to BU's 25.
 
HPU got a few points early, but it was the homestanding Eagles soared out to an eight point advantage during the first frame thanks to White scoring 12 points, half her total, in the opening salvo. HPU rallied late in the period on a pair of 3's by Marcucci to trail BU 21-18 after one.
 
The Eagles scored first in the second quarter and held the Sharks at bay before going on a 10-3 run to claim their largest lead of 11 at 34-23 with 5:44 remaining in the half. HPU answered with a 9-0 run of its own started by a Lambrigtsen layup and capped by a Marcucci triple with 1:40 left in the half to make it a two-point game at 34-32. Alas, BU's Sara Dougan countered with a 3-pointer to give the Eagles a 37-32 lead at the half.
 
The third quarter had Biola quickly return to a nine-point advantage, but the Sharks chipped back and used a 5-0 run to retake the lead at 51-50 with 37 second left on a Reeves layup. White answered for the home team and gave the Eagles a 52-51 lead after three.
 
The fourth had BU go back up by four before HPU came back with a jumper from Lambrigtsen and a tradition 3-point play from Reeves put HPU back on top 56-55.
 
The Eagles returned fire with a 3-pointer from Danielle Kennedy and a layup by Benn to retake the four-point advantage just before the Sharks put an end to the shenanigans.
 
After closing a four-game road swing, the Sharks return to Honolulu for a week off before hosting cross-town rival Chaminade on Saturday afternoon. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center.