Box Score HILO, Hawai`i.—Just a couple of nights removed from seeing a 14-game winning streak snapped, the Azusa Pacific women's basketball got things back in order on Friday night with a 77-62 win over Hawai`i Hilo at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
Azusa Pacific started a new win streak, improving to 18-4 on the season and to 15-1 in the Pacific West Conference. The Vulcans fall to 5-12 on the year and are now 2-11 in PacWest play.
The Cougars put 30 points on the board in the first quarter, to help eliminate the memory of a 81-72 loss to the Sharks. APU's lead was just 8-7 a little four minutes into the game but they then promptly went on a 22-5 run over the rest of the quarter to lead 30-12.
The played evenly in the second quarter, giving APU a 46-28 lead at the break. The Cougars had 12 offensive rebounds in the first 20 minutes to control action in the paint.
The Vulcans made a handful of solid runs at the Cougars in the third and fourth quarter, but could never cut the deficit into single digits. A
Maddie Beck basket made it 51-39 with 4:40 to go in the third, but the Cougars answered with a 10-0 run and the count was 65-45 at the end of the third.
In the fourth, a
Mandi Kawaha trey with 4:15 left cut the margin to 12 again (72-60), but the Cougars took the air out of the ball and waltzed to the 77-62 final.
The twin duo of Savanna Hanson (23 points) and Daylee Hanson (17) combined for 40 of APU's points. Laura Pranger added 13 points and eight rebounds, while Lydia Nieto had 12 points off the bench for the first-place Cougars.
Allie Navarette led the Vulcans with 16 points and
Patience Taylor had 13.
Maddie Beck was also in double figures with 10, and
Malia Lee nearly had the first double-double of her career with nine points and a collegiate-high 11 rebounds.
The Vulcans will return to the court on Monday night, hosting Biola at the Civic Auditorium at 5 p.m.
