HONOLULU – Hawai'i Pacific University fell to No. 23 Azusa Pacific 71-62 on Friday night to open PacWest Conference play at The Shark Tank.
 
The Sharks (2-3, 0-1) played their first official game in their new home in the Manoa valley, but had a difficult time against the nationally-ranked Cougars (6-3, 1-2).
 
The Sharks were led by senior Ronald Blain of McDonough, Ga./Union Grove, who scored 16 points with five rebounds, three assists and a blocked shot. Senior Neema Namdar chalked up 13 points, going 3-for-6 from the 3-point arc. Senior Daniel Melifonwu of San Diego/Lincoln led HPU with six rebounds along with seven points.
 
The Cougars were paced by PacWest Preseason Player of the Year Selom Mawugbe with 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists with two blocks. Terrence Becvar added 15 points, while Brennan Rymer scored 13. Noah Bundrant grabbed a game-high eight rebounds for APU.
 
The Sharks hit 42 percent from the floor (21-of-50), including 8-of-15 (53 percent) from the 3-point arc. HPU was nearly perfect at the foul line, making 12-of-13 (92 percent). Azusa Pacific shot 40 percent from the floor (24-of-60), with 8-of-26 (31 percent) from the arc. The Cougars made 15-of-19 (79 percent) from the charity stripe. HPU outrebounded APU 34-32, but suffered 23 turnovers to the Cougars 13.
 
APU opened the contest on a 5-0 run, but the Sharks clawed their way back to take a 10-9 lead with 13:38 remaining in the first half on a 3-pointer by freshman Lachlan Viney of Melbourne, Australia/Mazenod. The lead lasted only a blink as Becvar answered with a triple a 14 seconds later and the Cougars never gave up the lead again.
 
HPU cut the lead to one three times in the opening half, but the Cougars responded each time and pushed the lead with an 8-2 run midway through the half. A pair of Mawugbe dunks keyed a 13-4 run to close the half and allow APU to take a 38-24 lead into the halftime locker room.
 
HPU fought back in the second half, using a pair of Namdar 3's and a layup to help close the gap. The Sharks pulled within three the first time at the 12:39 mark on a Viney layup. The teams traded scores and the Sharks were again within three on a dunk from junior Chidozie Ndu of Lagos, Nigeria via Sam Houston State. The Cougars followed with a pair of 3-pointers and built the lead back to nine.
 
HPU got back within three after APU fouled the Sharks with about five minutes left, allowing the Sharks to go 6-of-6 from the stripe. Junior Tavon Tarpley of McLean, Va./Langley hit a pair of tosses that closed the lead to 57-54 with 5:39 remaining. The Cougars responded with a Becvar jumper and a 3-pointer from Ben Taufahema and HPU never got close again. Blain got a 3-pointer in the last 30 seconds that clipped the score to 71-62 and APU ran out the clock for the win.
 
The Sharks head to the Bay Area next week for a three-game road trip. HPU visits Holy Names to start the swing on Thursday with a 5:30 p.m. HST (7:30 PDT) tipoff at Tobin Gym.