GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – No. 2/4 Hawai'i Pacific University's 38-game winning streak and 2020-21 season came to a screeching halt on Friday evening as No. 23/NR Azusa Pacific beat HPU 72-59 in the NCAA Division II Women's West Regional at Colorado Mesa's Brownson Arena.
 
The Sharks (13-1) lost for the first time since Nov. 27, 2019 when Sioux Falls edged HPU 79-77. Azusa Pacific (11-4) snapped a four-game losing skid to HPU, winning for the first time since Feb. 22, 2018 when APU snapped HPU's 19-game win streak 81-63 in Honolulu.
 
The Sharks fought back from a 15-point third quarter deficit to pull within one at 59-58 with six minutes to play, only to see the Cougars go on a 13-1 run to close the game and advance. APU will play in the regional championship game as the semifinal against Colorado School of Mines was canceled because of COVID and contact tracing.
 
The Sharks were led by senior Olivia West of Launceston, Australia/Templestowe with 16 points, while senior Alysha Marcucci of Yarragon, Australia/Marist-Sion scored 15 points. Junior Amy Baum of Melbourne, Australia/Rowville Secondary scored 12 points with five rebounds and four assists. Junior Ally Bates of Melbourne, Australia/Yarra Valley grabbed eight rebounds to lead HPU.
 
The Cougars were paced by Laura Prager who scored 19 points with nine rebounds and two blocked shots, while Kayla Shaw and Paige Uyehara added 13 points each and Molly Whitemore 12. Alex Lowden grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds with eight points and five assists, with Kelly Heimburger pulling down 11 boards.
 
The Sharks posted their worst shooting game of the season, hitting only 30 percent from the floor (23-of-76), including 10-of-39 (26 percent) from the 3-point arc. HPU went 3-of-4 (75 percent) from the foul line. APU had the best shooting performance of the year against the Sharks, connecting on 48 percent from the field (25-of-52), with 6-of-20 (30 percent) from the arc. The Cougars made 16-of-22 shots (73 percent) from the charity stripe. APU dominated the boards, outrebounding HPU 47-34, while the HPU defense force 20 turnovers by the Cougars and committing only nine.
 
The Sharks opened with the lead on Bates opening 3-pointer, then the Cougars roared back to claim a five-point lead in the period. But HPU responded an 8-0 run capped by a 3-pointer from sophomore Avery Cargill of Santa Rosa, Calif./Cardinal Newman for a 3-point lead. After swapping scores, Marcucci's jumper led the Sharks to a 3-point 15-12 lead after the opening quarter.
 
But it was the second frame that hurt, using small runs to build a nine-point lead on a 3-pointer by Shaw, only to have Baum hit a shot in the final minute of the half to put the Sharks down seven at 33-26 at halftime. APU outscored the Sharks 21-11 in the second.
 
In the third, APU used a 10-2 run at to start the half and build its largest lead, 15-points, at 43-28. Marcucci cut that with a 3-pointer, and the Sharks battled to hold the lead down to 11 at 54-43 after three quarters.
 
In the fourth, APU got a jumper to go back up by 13, then HPU caught fire. West buried a 3-pointer on a fast break and Baum followed with a layup after a turnover and HPU went on a 12-0 run to pull within one at 56-55 on West's 3-point jumper with 6:48 remaining.
 
APU followed with a triple from Uyehara, only to have HPU answer with a 3-pointer from West with 6:03 to play. But that would be the Sharks last field goal. After Uyehara made one-of-two free throws to go up 60-58, the Sharks were called for traveling and the Cougars Shaw buried a 3 to go up by five and never looked back. HPU had to foul late and APU used the line to seal the game 72-59.
 
The strong HPU season, that featured an undefeated regular season, a win over Division I Hawai'i and the PacWest Hawai'i Championship, came to an end with the NCAA tournament loss.