HONOLULU — Hawai'i Pacific showed resolve and class against a top-10 team Friday afternoon, falling 64–30 to No. 9 West Texas A&M in the Hoops in Hawai'i Classic at the Shark Tank.

HPU (3–5) shot 12-for-58 from the field (20.7%) and went 0-for-16 from three. The Sharks never led and trailed 13–3 after the first quarter, but steadied in the second period, scoring 10 points before heading to the locker room down 25–13.

Senior guard Kyra Tanabe and freshman guard Jalen Samuel each scored eight points to lead HPU, while Mya Hatchett added seven. Samuel scored five of her eight in the second quarter, including a beautiful mid-range buzzerbeater that perfectly kissed off the glass to cut the deficit to 12 just before the half.

HPU forced 16 Lady Buff turnovers and matched WTAMU with five fast-break points, but West Texas A&M controlled the interior with its overwhelming size advantage. The Lady Buffs out-rebounded HPU 54–30 and piled up 18 second-chance points behind a dominant performance from Taylor Haggan, who posted a 21-point, 12-rebound double-double. WTAMU finished 26-for-64 from the floor (40.6%) and knocked down six 3-pointers.

The Lady Buffs used a 12-0 run midway through the third quarter to stretch the margin to 20-plus, then held the Sharks to single digits in each of the final two periods.

While the Sharks were ultimately unsuccessful in securing a win against a top-10 team, they never backed down and continued to fight with class and grit against an overwhelming force. 

The Sharks continue tournament play Saturday as they take on Colorado School of Mines at 2:30 at the Shark Tank.