HILO, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Pacific University snapped a six-game losing streak and held on to postseason hopes with a 62-55 PacWest Conference victory over Hawai'i Hilo Saturday afternoon at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
 
The Sharks (10-16, 8-12) is in a tie for eighth, one-game behind the Vulcans (11-13, 9-11) and Academy of Art in a tie for sixth. The top six teams qualify the PacWest Conference Tournament.
 
The Sharks placed four players in double-figures led by senior Daniel Melifonwu of San Diego/Lincoln with 13 points and six rebounds, while junior David Rowlands of Dayton, Ohio/Moorpark added 12 points with four assists. Senior Ronald Blain of McDonough, Ga./Union Grove scored 11 points with seven rebounds. Junior Chidoze Ndu of Lagos, Nigeria/Sunrise Christian Academy (Kan.) double-doubled with 10 points and 15 rebounds.
 
UH Hilo was led by Elisha Duplechan with 16 points and six rebounds, along with Sasa Vuksanovic who also scored 16 points. Kupaa Harrison added 11 points with eight rebounds.
 
The Sharks shot 37 percent from the field (23-of-62), with 4-of-19 (21 percent) from the 3-point arc. HPU made 12-of-14 (86 percent) from the foul line. The Vulcans also shot 37 percent (22-of-59) from the floor, with just 3-of-22 (14 percent) from the arc. UH Hilo hit 8-of-14 (57 percent) of its shots from the charity stripe. The Sharks crushed the Vulcans on the boards 46-to-27, but turned the ball over 15 times to 10.
 
HPU opened the game on a 12-2 run as senior Neema Namdar of Sandy, Utah/Alta hit a pair of 3-point shots in the run. HPU held the lead the entire half, going up by as much as 11 on a Melifonwu jumper, but settled for a nine-point 28-19 halftime lead.
 
The Sharks looked to be doing the same in the second half, opening with a 7-3 run capped by a triple from Rowlands with 17:20 to play for a 13-point 35-22 lead. But the Vulcans responded with a 19-5 run in the next eight minutes to give UH Hilo its first lead at 41-40 on a Vuksanovic layup with 9:18 to play. The Vulcans pushed the lead to 43-40 before HPU fought back to retake the lead on a Ndu jumper and the squads exchanged the lead seven times with UHH holding a 55-54 advantage with 1:20 remaining on a Vuksanovic layup.
 
However, the Sharks got a put back by Ndu for the eighth lead change with 59 seconds to play. UHH missed 3-point attempts on two straight possessions that HPU grabbed the rebound. That started a parade to the foul line for the Sharks. HPU went 6-for-6 from the line between Rowlands and sophomore Jacob Foy of Newcastle, Australia/St. Francis Xavier and the Sharks held off the Vulcans for the seven-point 62-55 win.
 
HPU returns to Honolulu for its final regular season contests of the season. The Sharks visit McCabe Gymnasium to take on Chaminade on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., then hosts a rematch with the Vulcans next Saturday at 3 p.m. for Senior Day at The Shark Tank.