LA MIRADA, Calif. – No. 7/5 Hawai'i Pacific University tied the program record with a 19-game winning streak, claiming a share of the PacWest Conference Championship and the PacWest Tournament No. 1 seed with a 72-60 victory over Biola at Chase Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Sharks (23-1, 18-0), ranked seventh in the WBCA Division II Coaches poll and fifth in the D2SIDA poll, never trailed the Eagles (16-9, 12-7) as they clinched a share of their second regular season championship in the last three seasons. HPU has a four-game lead over second place Azusa Pacific with four games to play and has swept APU in their two contests this season.
 
Sophomore Abbey Noblett of Morwell, Australia/Lavalla Catholic led the Sharks with her fifth double-double of the season, scoring 23 points with 10 rebounds to go with four assists and two steals. Senior Starr Rivera of Honolulu/Roosevelt posted 21 points and junior Alysha Marcucci of Melbourne, Australia/Marist-Sion added 13 points.
 
Biola got a game-high 27 points from Jazz Benn, who also paced the team with six rebounds. Tatum Brimley scored 10 points with five assists and three steals.
 
The Sharks hit 44 percent from the floor (24-of-55), and 5-of-16 (31 percent) from the 3-point arc. HPU was 19-of-22 (86 percent) from the foul line. The Eagles were held to 33 percent from the field (18-of-54), but were 9-of-31 (29 percent) from the arc. Biola made 15-of-20 (75 percent) of their shots from the charity stripe. HPU outrebounded BU 38-to-32, but suffered 17 turnovers to the Eagles 15.
 
The Sharks opened the game on a 10-2 run that featured the game's first jumper and a 3-pointer from Baum. The Eagles pulled back within seven at 14-7 midway through the quarter before HPU got a double-digit lead after a 3-pointer from Marcucci. A Rivera layup gave HPU a 12-point 25-13 lead after the first period.
 
The Sharks continued their solid play in the second quarter, eventually building a 19-point 37-18 advantage on Rivera's jumper with 3:03 remaining in the half. The Eagles trimmed the lead a bit until the last minute, as Benn hit a 3-pointer with 41 seconds left to cut HPU advantage to 39-25 that was carried into halftime.
 
The third was nearly even until the Eagles rallied to get the Sharks lead to just eight at 50-42 with 3:10 to play on a Brimley 3-pointer. A pair of Noblett free throws and a Marcucci triple returned a double-digit lead to the Sharks who held a 55-44 lead a the third quarter break.
 
The Sharks continued to rotate players in the fourth quarter and returned to a 14-point 60-46 lead with 8:02 remaining on a layup by freshman Theresa Spatzier of Heidelberg, Germany/St. Raphael. The teams traded scores the rest of the way with HPU taking the 72-60 triumph.
 
HPU's final contest of the four-game Southern California trip is Monday in San Diego when the Sharks take on Point Loma. Tipoff is slated for 3:30 p.m. HST (5:30 p.m. PST) at Golden Gym.
 
+++ HPU +++