HONOLULU — Paige Uyehara totaled 16 points and added a team-high seven assists and three steals, as No. 3 Azusa Pacific ran to their 14th consecutive win Saturday, 81-64 over Hawaii Pacific.
The victory improved the Cougars’ overall record to 17-1 and 13-0 in the PacWest Conference.
Kayla Shaw scored a game-high 20 points, for APU, and Molly Whitmore followed by scoring a season-high 19 points and grabbing nine rebounds.
After the Cougars jumped out to a quick 9-0 lead, Hawaii Pacific started to warm up from the three-point line and finished the first quarter with 12 of their 17 points behind the arc. Uyehara ended the quarter with a three-pointer of her own to send the Cougars into the second quarter with a 23-17 lead.
With 6:40 left in the second quarter, Hawaii Pacific started a run of their own, but Uyehara shut that down by connecting with Shaw for a triple before shooting one herself to put the team up 42-26.
Although the Sharks started the second half with the ball, APU started to take run with the lead, as they converted multiple offensive rebounds into layups and dominated in transition off fast break points.
Leading 59-40 with three minutes left in the third, layups from Shaw, Uyehara, and Manuel contributed to the 15-0 run the Cougars were building up to put the team up by 27.
APU was set to finish out their Hawaii series with a contest against Chaminade Monday afternoon.
– Courtesy APU Athletics
Masuno’s 14 Not Enough as CMS Falls at Whittier
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps battled through a rough shooting game, but ultimately fell in a 66-51 road decision to Whittier on Saturday evening.
CMS drops to 10-11 on the season with the loss, and 7-5 in the SCIAC, while Whittier improves to 12-6 overall and 8-5 in conference play.
Austyn Masuno led CMS with 14 points, seven rebounds and two steals on a 5-10 shooting performance. Jacey Carter and Grace Florendo both finished with eight points apiece, combining to make four three-pointers on the night.
CMS tied the game at 18-18 after a Jocelyn Song jump shot early in the second quarter. Masuno made a pair of free throws to get within one again, 21-20 with 5:22 remaining but Whittier was able to close out the period on a 9-2 run to earn a 30-22 halftime advantage.
Masuno started the fourth by converting a jump-shot to make it a 13-point game, but Whittier stretched its advantage out to 20 in the final three minutes, before the game ended with a 66-51 final margin. The Athenas shot 92.9 percent from the free-throw line with 13 of 14 makes, but shot 32.7 percent from the field.
CMS was back in action on Monday, hosting Caltech after The Rafu went to press.
– Courtesy CMS Athletics
Chapman Takes Tough Loss to Redlands, 75-57
The women of Chapman University fell to the SCIAC first-place Redlands Bulldogs on Saturday, 75- 57. Senior Julia Strand dominated the offensive effort for the Panthers and served up 26 points on the night.
The Panthers found momentum early in the first quarter and were ahead 10-6 five minutes in. A Zoe Mazakas shot from the field secured a 20-15 lead heading into the second. Zoe Zurasky set the score at 25-19 with seven minutes left in the second, securing a safe Chapman lead, but the Bulldogs ate away at the deficit and tied the score 31-31 with less than two minutes left in the half with a Monique Carrasco shot from behind the arc.
The Panthers entered the second half trailing for the first time in the game 33-31. Juliana Campas hit a three less than a minute in, one of her two on the night, but the Bulldogs took off and were ahead 54-42 by the end of the third. Redlands shot 46.2% from the field compared to the Panthers 38.8%.
A Chyanne Pagkalinawan shot from the arc made it a 20-point game for Redlands with five minutes left. Strand put up six points in the fourth and Campas hit another three, but the effort was not enough and the Bulldogs sailed into victory.
Campas was second to Strand’s 26 with 10 points in the night followed by Sammie Inana’s seven. Brittany Mcpherson led the defensive effort and tallied seven rebounds trailed by Strand’s five. The Panthers were only able to put up four points off the bench compared to the Bulldogs’ 21.
Chapman hits the road Wednesday face the last-place Occidental Tigers at 7 p.m., and then travels to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Saturday.
– Courtesy Chapman Athletics
La Verne Gets Slugged by Santa Cruz, 117-72
The University of La Verne Leopards lost a non-conference matchup against the visiting UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs on Saturday, taking their lumps in a 117-72 loss.
The Leopards fell behind early and could not keep up with the Banana Slugs despite scoring 72 points, including an outburst of 30 points in the third quarter.
Santa Cruz was led by Tess Oakley-Stilson’s career high 33 points.
Jazzlyn Johnson led the way for La Verne, scoring 18 points. Milan McGary provided a spark off the bench for Coach Jason Pruitt, totaling a career high 14 points on 6-10 shooting. Marissa Howell knocked down a pair of three-pointers, scoring 10 points in total.
Casey Kuramoto had six points for the Leopards.
La Verne was back in action Monday night on the road against Cal Lutheran.
— Courtesy La Verne Athletics