HILO, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Pacific University erased a 14-point first half deficit, but Hawai'i Hilo used a 9-0 run midway through the second half to reclaim the momentum and win 73-66 in PacWest Conference action on Wednesday night at Vulcan Gym.
 
The Sharks (2-7, 2-7) had their two-game win streak snapped, while the Vulcans (8-1, 8-1) won their sixth straight and clinched the PacWest Hawai'i Pod title.
 
HPU was paced by junior Rodney Hounshell of Richmond, Va./West Linn (Ore.) with 16 points, while sophomore Lachlan Viney of Melbourne, Australia/Mazenod came off the bench with 14 points. Junior Jacob Foy of Newcastle, Australia/St. Francis Xavier added 11 points and a game-high eight rebounds.
 
Sasa Vuksanovic led UH Hilo with 16 points and six rebounds, as Darren Williams chipped in 15 points with four assists and Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones posted 12 points with six boards.
 
The Sharks shot 44 percent from the field (24-of-54), including 7-of-15 (47 percent) from the 3-point arc. HPU made 11-of-13 (85 percent) of its free throws. The Vulcans hit 47 percent from the floor (30-of-64), but 7-of-25 (28 percent) from the arc. UHH went 6-of-10 (60 percent) from the foul line. The Vulcans edged the Sharks on the boards 34-33, with HPU suffering 16 turnovers to UHH's 10.
 
The Vulcans opened the game strong, building a 14-point lead with 6:41 to play in the first half on a Tait-Jones jumper for a 27-13 lead. But HPU answered, cutting the lead to eight on a Hounshell 3-pointer and later closed the half with senior Tavon Tarpley of McLean, Va./Langley hitting four straight free throws to send contest to intermission down seven with UHH leading 40-33.
 
The Sharks opened the second half with defense, holding the Vulcans scoreless for five minutes and going on a 13-6 run to tie the game at 46-46 on Foy's 3-point jumper with 13:35 to play.
 
UHH built the lead back to six before a Foy jumper and two free throws by Viney closed the gap to two at 52-50 at the 10:06 mark. That's when disaster struck for the Sharks.
 
The Vulcans got a 3-pointer from Williams to key a 9-0 run and never trailed again. UHH led by 13 before a final surge by the Sharks just before the horn cut the contest a seven-point game on the way to the 73-66 final.
 
The Sharks and Vulcans play for the final time of the season on Thursday. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. at Vulcan Gym.