HILO, Hawai'i-- The UH Hilo women's basketball team downed Hawaii Pacific 73-50 on Sunday, Dec. 12 in the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium. 

Prior to this game the women's basketball team was tied with the Sharks in PacWest Standings. UH Hilo improved 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the Pacific West Conference while Hawaii Pacific dropped 4-4 overall and 1-2 PacWest. This is the second time the Vulcans' have beaten the Sharks since 2010, and the first time since 2012. 

The Vulcans, rolling off their exhilarating 78-66 win against Point Loma, showed up Sunday with a strong start. UH Hilo scored the first basket of the game and ran with as much as a 10-point lead in the first quarter. Heaven Samayoa-Mathis led the Vulcans in scoring with seven points. 

Mindy Kawaha began the second quarter with a basket from behind the arc, increasing the Red and Black's lead 21-9. The Vulcans broke away at 27-12 after two good free throws by Mandi Kawaha. Nikki Miller had the last bucket before halftime which put the Vulcans in a 39-25 leading position. 

Three good free throws and a three by Sara Shimizu, led to the Vulcans picking up their largest lead of the third quarter at 57-36. UHH continued to apply the pressure to the Sharks into the fourth. The Vulcans led by as much as 24 points in the fourth, Kenedi Walters came off the bench and closed out the Vulcans' scoring with two good free throws. 

UH Hilo's lead scorer was once again Mandi Kawaha who totaled 15 points. Miller and Shimizu were just behind her with 12 points apiece. Shimizu was also 2-for-3 behind the arc. Miller achieved her fourth double-double of the season catching 11 rebounds. Samayoa-Mathis racked up 11 rebounds as well and UHH's bench came up big when they were needed, contributing 19 bench points. The Vulcans totaled 21-33 at the free throw line. 

The women play next Sunday, Dec. 19 against Alaska Anchorage at 1pm HT in the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.

To view the women's basketball schedule, CLICK HERE.