Back On Track
1/31/2014 7:27:00 AM | Men's Basketball
HILO, Hawaii --- After suffering its first loss of the season, No. 14-ranked California Baptist University was looking to get back on track to its winning ways. The Lancers bounced back with a 90-77 victory over Hawaii-Hilo Thursday night.
CBU improves to 17-1 overall, 11-1 in the PacWest, with the win. The Vulcans drop to 3-15 on the season and 0-12 in conference action.
Ryan Berg led the Lancers with 23 points, shooting 50-percent from both the field (5-for-10) and the perimeter (4-for-8). Coming off the bench, Eric Hunt provided a spark offensively for the Lancers, finishing the night with 18 points. Hunt shot 100-percent from both the field (5-for-5) and three-point range (4-for-4) in the first half alone.
Rounding out a quartet of CBU hoopsters finishing with double figures were Chris Brown with 16 points (6-for-6) and Michael Smith with 11 points (3-for-6).
The Lancers struggled to find the basket to open the game, finding themselves in an eight-point hole to start the game. Down 10-2, CBU responded with a 9-2 run, fueled by two three-pointers from Hunt to put the game within one and 13:17 remaining before halftime.
Trying to maintain their lead, the Vulcans built back their cushion, but the Lancers kept pushing, determined to take control of the game before the break.
With three and a half minutes remaining in the first, CBU initiated a 10-3 run to once again bring the score within one point at 45-44. Hunt sparked the run with his fifth three of the night and Berg capped the run with two shots at the line.
The Vulcans ended the run with two chances at the charity stripe of their own, but Berg found nothing but net from deep to even the score at 47-47 and just 30 seconds before halftime. The Lancers couldn't make the next stop on defense, however, entering the locker room trailing 50-47.
UHH scored the first points to start the second half, but Berg hit a three and Chris Brown added two free throws and a layup to give CBU its first lead at 54-52. The Vulcans answered back, but Brown kept the Lancers in front, banking a shot off the glass off a pass from Hunt.
CBU kept the ball rolling, extending its lead into double-digit territory at 64-54 as Berg hit a three straight through the hoop. The Vulcans responded once more, but Berg sank another three-pointer to give the Lancers a 67-57 advantage.
As the second frame hit the 10-minute mark, CBU looked to maintain its lead and keep the Vulcans a good distance behind. UHH battled back in, however, cutting the Lancers' lead to four points at 69-65.
Down the stretch and trailing 75-71, the Vulcans turned on the defensive pressure but couldn't put any runs together offensively and only scored five points in the remaining five minutes. The Lancers, on the other hand, tallied 14 points to secure the 90-77 victory.
CBU plays two more contests in Hawaii before returning home to Van Dyne Gym on Feb. 8, heading to a new island to take on Hawaii Pacific and BYU Hawaii. The Lancers tip off against the Seasiders of BYUH on Saturday and challenge the Sea Warriors on Monday night to conclude a four-game road stretch.
