HILO, Hawai`i—Host Hawai`i Hilo and visiting Biola took turns playing perhaps their best half of basketball of the season, but in the end Biola's 20 minutes was two points better than UH Hilo's.

The Vulcans won the first half 48-29 but the Eagles rallied after intermission (50-29) for a 79-77 men's basketball victory at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium on Monday night. The comeback for the Eagles allowed them to move over .500 in the Pacific West Conference at 8-7, and they are now 12-9 overall.

The Vulcans fall back to even at 9-9 on the year and 7-7 in the PacWest. They are now in seventh place, one half-game behind Biola and a half-game ahead of Academy of Art, who they play next on Friday.

Biola, a second-year member of the PacWest, is not yet eligible for post-season play in the NCAA.

Levi Auble led Biola with 23 points and nine rebounds, while the Vulcans were led by Larry Bush's 22 points and seven boards.

Auble, a 6-6 power forward, scored the first two points of the game in the first possession of the contest. But that would be the only lead for the Eagles the rest of the half, and ultimately until just four minutes remained in the game.

That's because the Vulcans were clicking on all cylinders. Four different players nailed three-pointers in the first eight minutes as the home team took a 20-9 lead. They would continue to build on that margin, banging home half of their long range attempts in the first 20 minutes (9-of-18) to take a 48-29 lead at the break.

The Eagles shot just 37 percent from the field in the first half were 0-for-1 from three-point range.

The second half played out much different. Trevor Treinen and Alex Wright connected from behind the arch after coming out of the locker room and the Vulcans suddenly went cold. By the ten minute mark, the Eagles had sliced the margin to six points (61-55) and with 7:10 on the clock Christian Carroll's trey made it a one-point game (64-63).

The teams then traded baskets until Michael Bagatourian's follow-up bucket with 3:52 left gave the Eagles their first lead since Auble's opening basket. Bush would soon nail a long trey to tie it at 73-73 and Kupaa Harrison would tie it again at 75 with a lay-in with 57 ticks remaining.

Auble scored once again inside at 42 seconds, and after a Vulcan miss, Bagatourian hit two free throws at 26 seconds (79-75).

James Griffin converted a drive with 19 seconds left (79-77), and after a Biola turnover, the Vulcans had the final possession of the game. UHH worked the ball inside to Denhym Brooke, who was immediately fouled---but Biola only had five teams fouls and the Vulcans had to inbound the ball with eight seconds remaining. Griffin almost lost the ball and gave it up deep to Cleo Cain, whose deep three fell short.

Bagatourian finished with 19 points and seven rebounds. 17 of Auble's 23 points came in the second half.

Griffin had 17 points, six rebounds and three assists, despite sitting out some minutes in the second half with four fouls. Cain had 14 points, hitting 4-of-6 treys, and Harrison finished with 11 points. Jordan Graves had six assists on the night and two steals.

Both teams had 12 turnovers. The Vulcans only got to the free throw line four times (4-of-8) while Biola was 13-of-18.

The Vulcans have two must-win games left on this home stand, hosting Academy of Art on Friday and Dominican on Sunday. Both games start at 7:30 p.m.