Box Score HILO, Hawaii - Five players scored in double figures for Hawaii Pacific and it was able to pick up an 83-66 women's basketball victory Saturday afternoon at the Vulcan Classic.
Skye Savini led the Sea Warriors (1-1) with 17 points, while Taiyande Huskey and Melody Ladrido tallied 16 and 15, respectively. Mana Hopkins had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds and Paris Gravely also contributed double figures with 12 points.
Redshirt senior center
Nicole Bozek (Mukilteo, Wash./Kamiak) posted her first double-double of the season with a game-high 19 points and 10 rebounds. Senior forward
Autumn Greene (Lewiston, Idaho/Centralia CC) scored 15 points and freshman guard
Benissa Bulaya (Sacramento, Calif./El Camino Fundamental) added 10 for Alaska.
HPU shot 38-percent (28-73 FG) for the game and drained six treys on 15 attempts (40%). It also got the free throw line 27 times, converting on 21 of them. The Sea Warriors controlled the glass with a 53-41 advantage, including 18-10 on the offense side.
The Nanooks were 35-percent from the floor (20-57 FG) and struggled from the outside, making just three long-range jumpers on 18 attempts (16.7%). They did a good job getting to the line, but struggled from the charity stripe, making just 62-percent (23-37) of their tries.
In the first half, it remained tight early, but leading 21-19 with 8:30 to go, Hawaii Pacific scored seven straight in 2:06 to hold a 28-19 advantage. Alaska hung tough, but HPU ended the half with a 9-3 run to hold a 40-27 lead into the locker room.
The Sea Warriors opened the second half with a 12-4 run for a 52-31 lead with 16:21 remaining in the game. The Nanooks cut into the lead, scoring 12 of the next 14 to trail 54-43 with just over 12 to go. The next three minutes would not be kind for Alaska as HPU put up eight of the game's next nine points to give it a 62-44 lead with 9:57 left.
The 'Nooks never came closer than 14 the rest of the way as HPU led by as many as 24 points on two separate occasions down the stretch.
Alaska returns to the court Sunday at 4 p.m. when it faces Hawaii-Hilo for the second time in three days.
