FRESNO, Calif. – Nationally ranked Hawai'i Pacific University ran its winning streak to 13 on Tuesday evening with a 98-66 PacWest Conference triumph over Fresno Pacific at the FPU Special Events Center.
 
The Sharks (17-1, 12-0), ranked eighth in the WBCA Division II Coaches poll and seventh in the D2SIDA poll, never trailed to the Sunbirds (9-9, 6-6) in getting 98 or more points in three of their last four games.
 
HPU junior Alysha Marcucci of Melbourne, Australia/Marist-Sion matched her season-best with a game-high 24 points. Senior Starr Rivera of Honolulu/Roosevelt scored 21 points, as both Marcucci and Rivera collected five 3-pointers. Sophomore Abbey Noblett of Morwell, Australia/Lavalla Catholic posted 16 points with four assists, while sophomore Amy Baum of Melbourne, Australia/Rowville Secondary double-doubled with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
 
The Sunbirds were paced by Jessica Malazarte with 17 points and three assists, while Ashley Cross and Kate McClard both scored 12 points. Cassie Pisik tallied 10 points, whith Bayli McClard grabbed six rebounds to lead FPU.
 
The Sharks shot 49 percent from the field (35-of-72), with 14-of-32 (44 percent) coming from the 3-point arc. HPU made 14-of-16 (88 percent) from the foul line. FPU hit 23-of-66 (35 percent) from the floor, with only 3-of-18 (17 percent) from the arc. The Sunbirds were 17-of-22 (77 percent) from the charity stripe. HPU crushed the Sunbirds on the boards 49-28, but suffered 17 turnovers to FPU's 13.
 
HPU got the game off on the right foot as Marcucci hit the first two shots – both treys – to get a 6-2 run. The Sharks extended the lead to 11 points halfway through the first thanks to a pair of free throws by Noblett. The Sunbirds got a 6-0 run from Malazarte to trim the lead to five, only to have Rivera can a 3-pointer to go back up by eight. The teams continued the battle before two FPU free throws put HPU up 25-18 after a quarter.
 
HPU got the lead back to double-digits to stay at the start of the second with a Noblett layup and a Marcucci triple. The Sharks pushed the lead to 23 in the period on a 16-3 run that included two Marcucci triples and two free throws. A single free throw by Kate McClard gave HPU a 50-28 halftime lead.
 
The Sharks continued to wear down the Sunbirds in the third quarter, building a 28-point lead on a layup by Noblett and carrying a 27-point 71-44 lead into the quarter break.
 
The final quarter started with a 3-pointer from sophomore Ally Bates of Melbourne, Australia/Yarra Valley and after the Sunbirds chipped it back to 27, it was Noblett with the trey. FPU sliced the HPU lead to 29 with 6:31 left, only to have Rivera bang a 3 to put the Sharks up by 30-plus to stay. HPU led by as much as 35 in the contest and settled for a 32-point 98-66 triumph.
 
The top 10 Sharks return to Honolulu for a three-game homestand that starts on Saturday afternoon. HPU welcomes Holy Names for a 1 p.m. tipoff at The Shark Tank.