FRESNO, Calif. – No. 24 Hawai'i Pacific University overcame a nine-point first half deficit as the Sharks stretched their school record winning streak to 16 games with a 68-60 PacWest Conference win over Fresno Pacific at the FPU Event Center Saturday afternoon.
 
The 24th ranked Sharks (20-2, 14-1) reached the 20-win mark in the fewest games in school history as they maintained their PacWest lead. The Sunbirds (11-14, 9-8) lost for the first time in three games.
 
 "We got the win on the road and that's good," said HPU head coach Reid Takatsuka. "But we didn't play very well and I'm not happy with that. We just need to play and let everything else take care of itself."
 
Junior guard Samantha Lambrigtsen of Oregon, Ill./Oregon HS, led the Sharks with 13 points. Senior forward Jessi Reeves of Coffs Harbour, Australia/John Paul, posted her sixth double-double of the season with 12 points and a season-high 13 rebound, while freshman forward Jessica Harley of Melbourne, Australia/Caulfield Grammar, also scored 12 points to go with eight rebounds and three blocked shots.
 
Fresno Pacific got 19 points and four assists from Jessica Malazarte, while Ashley Cross tallied 13 points with three steals. Cassie Pisik just missed a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds.
 
HPU shot just 38 percent (22-of-58) from the field,FPU  including 6-of-16 (38 percent) from the 3-point arc. The Sharks connected on 18-of-24 shots from the foul line (75 percent). FPU was held to just 30 percent from the floor (17-of-56) and 28 percent (5-of-18) from the arc. The Sunbirds hit 21-of-29 (72 percent) from the charity stripe. The Sharks won the battle of the boards 45-36, but suffered 15 turnovers to FPU's 11.
 
HPU held a three-point lead at 10-7 on a jumper from freshman forward Makenna Gambee of Hillsboro, Ore./Hillsboro with 2:27 left in the first quarter. That's when Fresno Pacific rallied with a 7-0 run to close the period to take a 14-10 lead at the first break on a Pisik layup.
 
The Sunbirds got the first four points of the second quarter for an 11-0 run and an eight-point lead before Lambrigsten put HPU on the board in the quarter. FPU extended the lead to nine with 4:07 remaining in the half before the Sharks answered with a 9-3 run capped by a Reeves layup to go into halftime down 29-26.
 
Fresno Pacific to the first two points of the third on free throws by Cross, then HPU made its move. Freshman forward Alysha Marcucci of Melbourne, Australia/Marist-Sion, hit a 3-pointer to start a 12-0 run that saw the Sharks open up a seven-point lead when Lambrigtsen capped the run with a 3-pointer.
 
The teams swapped scores before HPU closed the third with a triple by Harley and a jumper from junior guard Janessa Manzano of San Francisco/St. Ignatius to carry an 11-point 54-43 lead to the quarter break.
 
HPU pushed the lead out to 12 on a Harley layup and free throw before FPU rallied with a 6-0 run, then chipped the Shark lead to five – the last with 42 seconds left. But the 24th ranked Sharks made three of the last six free throws and used defense to hold off the threat and win 68-60.
 
HPU, on a four-game mainland road swing, returns to the hardwood on Monday evening when they visit Academy of Art. Tipoff at Kezar Pavilion is set for 3:30 p.m. HST (5:30 p.m. PST).