BURNABY, B.C., Canada – Hawai'i Pacific University used a 3-pointer and hit 5-of-6 free throws in the final 31 seconds to beat Simon Fraser 91-84 on Tuesday afternoon at West Gym.
 
The Sharks (3-0) overcame an eight-point, third quarter lead by The Clan (2-4) before gaining a six-point lead with three minutes to play and holding on for the victory.
 
Junior Alysha Marcucci of Melbourne, Australia/Marist-Sion led the Sharks with 24 points, scoring 18 of them by going 6-of-10 from the 3-point arc. She also led the Sharks with six rebounds. Sophomore Amy Baum of Melbourne, Australia/Rowville Secondary, collected 21 points, hitting 7-of-8 from the foul line including the 5-of-6 in the last 26 seconds. She added five rebounds and five assists. Sophomore Abbey Noblett of Morwell, Australia/Lavalla Catholic added 11 points and four boards with four assists.
 
Jessica Jones paced The Clan with 30 points and six rebounds with four steals. Ozioma Nwabuko scored 10 points with six boards. Kendal Sands dished out eight assists in the loss.
 
HPU shot 51 percent from the floor (30-of-59), with 8-of-19 coming from the 3-point arc (42 percent). The Sharks nailed 23-of-25 (92 percent) from the free throw line. SFU shot 46 percent from the field (28-of-61), including 10-of-36 (28 percent) from the arc. The Clan made 18-of-26 (69 percent) from the charity stripe.
 
Simon Fraser outrebounded HPU 33-31, but turned the ball over 19 times to the Sharks 15.
 
The contest was a tight one from the start and featured 12 ties and seven lead changes.
 
The Sharks led by four at 18-14 after the opening quarter and built a five-point lead in the second, only to have The Clan respond to tie the game twice more before HPU took a one-point 36-35 into the locker room at halftime.
 
SFU used a 7-2 run midway through the third quarter to build a five-point lead, then swapped scores to take an eight point 56-48 advantage on a Jones fastbreak layup with 4:48 remaining in the period. HPU would tie game at 61-all on a Baum layup, but Simon Fraser answered with a 9-3 run to end the period capped by a Jones triple for a 70-64 lead.
 
The Sharks opened the final frame on a 10-0 run for a four-point lead on a jumper from junior Makenna Gambee of Hillsboro, Ore./Hillsboro, only to have The Clan respond with a 7-0 run to take the lead. It would be SFU's final lead of the contest.
 
The Sharks used a pair of free throws from Baum to start a 9-0 run. As part of the run, senior Starr Rivera of Honolulu/Roosevelt hit a jumper to put HPU on top to stay 78-77 with 4:29 to go. Marcucci added a 3-pointer and Baum a layup with 3:19 left as the Sharks led by six at 83-77.
 
A 3-pointer and two Jones foul shots pulled SFU within one at 83-82 with 1:57 to play. Neither team converted in their next possessions before Rivera stole the ball inside the last minute. HPU got it to Marcucci for a 3-pointer for the four-point lead. The Clan got it to 86-84 on a layup by Claudia Hart, then started the foul parade.
 
Baum missed her first free throw with 26 seconds remaining, but made her next five as the Sharks withstood the pressure to take the game by seven 91-84.
 
HPU returns home to play their first game at The Shark Tank on Friday night. The Sharks host Minnesota-Crookston as part of the Malika Sports Oahu Thanksgiving Classic at 7 p.m.