RIVERSIDE, Calif.—No. 20 nationally ranked California Baptist survived a first half standoff, pulling away in the second half for a 88-55 men's basketball win over Hawai`i Hilo on Tuesday night at the Special Events Center.

The Lancers, ranked No. 3 in the unofficial west region poll (first official poll comes out tomorrow), picked up their 20^th win of the season (20-4) and they are now 12-3 in the Pacific West Conference, a game and a half out of first place. The Vulcans fell to 6-17 on the season and to 5-11 in the PacWest.

While the final score would give no indication, the first half of this contest was a battle. There were 12 lead changes and neither team led by more than six points, with the Lancers taking a 41-35 margin into the halftime locker room.

UH Hilo's Devin Johnson scored his teams' first 12 points and the Vulcans had a 14-10 lead early in the half. Johnson had 15 points at the halftime break, having hit seven of his first 11 shots.  But CBU countered from three-point range, hitting nine-of-17 from behind the arch.

The Lancers pushed their lead to 55-42 in the first five minutes of the second half, and continued to build their margin from there.  Halfway through the second half, they had increased the space between the two teams to 20 points.

Johnson finished with 22 points and nine rebounds to lead the Vulcans. Ryley Callaghan was also in double figures for UHH with 11 points, hitting three-of-six three-point attempts.

But the Vulcans shot just 36 percent from the field, and were out-rebounded 45-27. The Lancers were solid from behind the arch, hitting 11-of-24 attempts. Jordan Heading led four Lancers in double figures with 20 points, six rebounds and four assists.

The Vulcans continue a brutal road trip with a Thursday night encounter at third-place Azusa Pacific. It will be the fourth game in six days for UH Hilo.