SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Hawaiʻi Pacific battled to the final horn but came up just short in a tightly contested 75-70 loss to Westmont on Thursday night at Murchison Gym.

The Sharks (12-6, 8-5 PacWest) led at halftime and traded momentum throughout the second half in a game that featured 14 lead changes and nine ties. HPU shot 43.3% from the field and knocked down 11 3-pointers while holding the Warriors within striking distance until the final seconds.

Joshua West paced Hawaiʻi Pacific with 20 points, connecting on six field goals with three 3-pointers while adding an assist, three steals, and three blocked shots. Avi Halpert provided an efficient spark off the bench, scoring 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Quentin Meza finished with 10 points, and Josh Niusulu added nine as the Sharks placed three players in double figures.

HPU controlled much of the first half, using a balanced offensive attack and strong ball movement to take a 34-31 lead into the break. The Sharks hit six 3-pointers in the opening period and led for more than nine minutes of the half.

Westmont (11-8, 8-5 PacWest) responded with a strong shooting performance in the second half, hitting 17 of 26 shots after the break. Still, the Sharks stayed within one possession down the stretch, highlighted by Meza's late 3-pointer that pulled HPU within four with under three minutes remaining.

The Sharks will carry this close loss with them as they continue their road trip to Costa Mesa, Calif. where they will take on the Lions of Vanguard University this Saturday at 4:00 p.m. HST/ 6:00 PST. That game will be available to stream on the PacWest Network.