FRESNO, Calif.--There are big wins, and then there are big wins. For UH Hilo, their 92-87 double overtime victory over Fresno Pacific on Friday night was easily their most important win in over a month.

The Vulcans outlasted the team directly ahead of them in the Pacific West Conference standings to improve to 9-8 in the PacWest and to 13-11 overall. The Sunbirds are now 16-8 on the year and 10-7 in conference play. UH Hilo is still one full game back of FPU in the standings in sixth place, and one game ahead of Concordia, who is seventh. The top eight teams qualify for the conference tournament at The Special Events Center in Fresno, March 3-5.

The victory was the first on this road trip for the Vulcans, who will wrap up their time in northern California on Sunday at Dominican. The regular season then ends on Feb. 25 in Hilo against Chaminade.

It was a wild, back and forth affair that was finally sealed 49 minutes and 57 seconds after it started when Donald McHenry knocked down two free throws. When it was all said and done, Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones had 26 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots to lead the Vulcans. Darren Williams finished with 18 points and four assists, McHenry had 13 points and Max Kunnert had 11 counters, including a big trey in the first overtime and a convential three-point play in the second extra period.

As per usual it seems lately, the Vulcans came out of the gate slow, missing six of their first seven shots. They trailed the Sunbirds 23-10 at about the halfway point of the first half, and FPU still led 31-23 with 4:44 to go before the break having nailed seven three-pointers.

But UHH closed the half on a 14-2 run, which included a Tait-Jones drive to the basket at the buzzer to give the visitors a 34-33 halftime lead. The Vulcans scored the final 11 points of the half.

The two squads traded baskets in the second half, with neither team leading by more than five points. It was tied at 69-69 after back-to-back baskets by Tait-Jones with three minutes left, and Kunnert's trey with 1:40 remaining made it 73-71. Darrin Person tied it up for FPU with a drive to the basket with 12 seconds left, and the Vulcans couldn't answer, sending the game to overtime number one.

Kunnert hit a big three early in overtime but it would turn out to be the only field goal for the Vulcans in the five minute extra period. Tait-Jones added a free throw to give UHH a 77-74 lead, but the Sunbirds Nate Kendricks tied it with a convential three-point play with a minute remaining (77-77). Both teams traded misses in the final 60 seconds, sending the contest to a second overtime.

The pace picked up greatly in the next five minutes. McHenry hit two free throws and Kunnert nailed a three to put the Vulcans up five points (84-79). Jelani Watson answered for the 'Birds with a trey and later a pair of free throws to make it a 87-85 game with 51 seconds left. Offensive fouls were then called both directions. UHH's Williams hit a free throw with 19 seconds left to put his team up 88-85, and then Fresno Pacific turned the ball over in its final possession, forcing them to foul McHenry to account for the final margin of 92-85.

Person had 23 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Sunbirds and Watson-Gayle added 21 points. 

For the Vulcans, who at one point lost five straight games in January and early February, you have to go back to January 13 to find a win over a team ahead of them in the standings (Academy of Art). 

"It was a much needed win for us," said Vulcan head coach Kaniela Aiona. "We played our hearts out against a very talented basketball team in Fresno Pacific. I was very proud of our effort."

BOX SCORE TO COME