HONOLULU – Hawai'i Pacific University gave No. 5 Alaska Anchorage fits throughout the second half before UAA pulled out a 70-55 non-conference victory on Tuesday evening at The Shark Tank.
 
The Sharks (4-5) battled from a 15-point second quarter deficit to trail by five in the third quarter and by seven late in the fourth before the undefeated Seawolves (7-0) used free throw shooting to take control of the end of the contest.
 
The Sharks, who had limited players because of non-Covid related illnesses, were led by sophomore Haley Masaki of Honolulu/Kamehameha-Kapalama and freshman Jordyn Jensen of Truckee, Calif./Bishop Manogue with 12 points each. Freshman Allison Ross of Boise, Idaho/Boise posted game-highs of seven rebounds and six assists to go with six points.
 
UAA got 16 points, five rebounds and two blocked shots from Tennae Voliva to lead the team, while Malie Marfil added 10 points off the bench. Jahnna Hajdukovich scored eight points.
 
HPU shot 35 percent from the floor (19-of-54), including 5-of-9 (56 percent) from the 3-point arc. The Sharks connected on 12-of-18 free throws (67 percent). Alaska Anchorage hit 45 percent (21-of-47) from the field, including 6-of-14 (43 percent) from 3. The Seawolves made 22-of-30 (73 percent) from the charity stripe. UAA edged HPU 34-33 in rebounding, and turned the ball over 15 times to the Sharks 16.
 
HPU overcame an early five-point deficit with a 10-3 run to claim a two-point 10-8 lead after a jumper from sophomore Maleah Turner of Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman. The Sharks and Seawolves exchanged scores before Masaki nailed a layup just before the buzzer to take a 15-13 advantage at the quarter.
 
The teams traded points early in the second as a Turner layup gave HPU its final lead at 17-15 with 8:59 left in the period. But that's when the No. 5 team in the country went on a 7-0 run to take the lead, then extended the advantage to 15 points with 2:24 remaining in the half. Redshirt freshman Anau Tu'ivai of Pukalani, Hawai'i/Seabury Hall dropped in a layup just before the halftime buzzer to trim the UAA lead to 11 at 44-33 at intermission.
 
HPU went on an 8-1 run to cut a 12-point UAA advantage to five on a layup by Turner to trail 50-45 and the Sharks kept the contest to just a seven-point deficit at the quarter 54-47.
 
The Sharks cut the lead to five again on a Masaki 3-pointer with 8:45 to go, then traded goals with the Seawolves to trail 58-52 with 6:12 remaining.
 
But UAA responded with a Volviva second-chance layup to key an 8-1 run to kill the momentum. The Seawolves finished with the 70-55 victory.
 
The Sharks are in action again on Thursday afternoon in the opening game of the Malika Sports Tours Hoop N Surf Oahu Christmas Classic. HPU takes on Concord (W.Va.) in a 1:30 p.m. contest at The Shark Tank.