Shark Attack

Thursday, January 21

Kaneohe, Hawaii

8:30 PM

California Baptist University

15-4,6-3PacWest

Hawaii Pacific

12-4,7-2PacWest

CBU-MBB

Hawaii Pacific

Photo by: Sammi Wellman

1/21/2016 10:29:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Sammi Sheppard, Director of Sports Information

HONOLULU — No. 15 California Baptist University couldn't stop a desperate comeback from Hawaii Pacific Thursday night, falling 87-82.

The Lancers drop to 15-4 on the year, 6-3 in the PacWest. The Sharks move to 12-4 overall and 7-2 in conference.

Taj Spencer led the Lancers with 18 points on the night off 6-for-12 shooting. Jordan Giusti followed with 17 points (7-for-9) and dished out six assists. Gelaun Wheelwright (5-for-12) and Michael Smith (5-for-12) rounded out the CBU players scoring in double figures with 16 and 14 points, respectively.

Kalidou Diouf led CBU with 10 rebounds.

Spencer got things going by banking in a jump shot to start the game, but HPU soon took over the lead, 9-5.

It didn't last long, though, as Spencer hit a free throw to start the Lancers on a 6-0 spurt. Alexander Birketoft sank a three-pointer to fuel the run, which was capped by Diouf posting up in the paint, 10-9.

The Sharks battled back to take the upper hand once more, 18-16, but Wheelwright scored four-straight points to put CBU in front again.

HPU cut the run briefly, tying the game at 20-20, but Diouf found a wide open Giusti and then Wheelwright for three to give the Lancers a five-point cushion with six-and-a -alf minutes left before halftime.

Only up by two with just seconds on the clock, Trevone Williams grabbed his own rebound and got his second shot off just before the buzzer sounded, putting the Lancers into the locker room with a 39-35 edge.

Although CBU wanted to keep rolling and keep the Sharks at bay, HPU responded to every Lancer basket, trying to hang with the visitors.

The Sharks scored the first points of the second half, but Spencer made a jump shot and Giusti followed with an old-fashioned three-point play to push CBU closer to its first double-digit lead of the night.

It came almost halfway through the frame after HPU had cut the margin to 59-54. Spencer scored two unanswered baskets and dunked in a third to put CBU up 65-56. Smith then sank a shot from the perimeter to put the Lancers ahead by 12 and force a Sharks timeout.

HPU made it interesting by chipping away at the margin and took over the lead 78-76 with just under three-and-a-half minutes to go.

The Lancers dug deep for the remaining minutes, determined to not let it slip away from them. Giusti drove to the basket to even things up at 80-80, but HPU took an 85-80 lead with 27.4 seconds to go.

Giusti drove to the basket to make it a one possession game once more, 85-82. The Lancers tried to foul to get the ball back, but HPU hit its free throws to take the game 87-82.

CBU remains on Oahu for one more game before jumping over to the Big Island to conclude its three-game trip. The Lancers take on BYU-Hawaii Saturday at 9:30 p.m. Pacific time and Hawaii-Hilo on Monday, with the same tip time.