Box Score

Oakland, Calif. -- Patrice Saindon's runner with 4.1 seconds remaining lifted the Sunbirds to their fifth straight win 66-65 over Holy Names on Saturday. Fresno Pacific had four players in double figures in what is now the longest win streak for the program since 2006. 
 
FPU (8-11, 8-5 PacWest) was down in the final minute for the second time this season against Holy Names (9-9, 5-7 PacWest) before the Sunbirds closed on a 4-0 run in the final 46-seconds thanks to a pair of free throws from Keairra White and Saindon's jumper in the waning moments. 
 
"I think whenever we play with intensity great things happen on both ends of the court. We have to come out and be excited about playing every game, and we did that today," said head coach Lindsey Wilson. "Keairra and Patrice are two players that can get to the rim a lot. They came up and hit some really big shots and brought us some energy on both ends of the court, and Keairra played great defense and really set the tone on the defensive end."
 
Saindon finished the game as the leading scorer for Fresno Pacific with 14 followed by Breana Buczek with 12, and White and Bree Alvarez with 11 each. Buczek also pulled down seven boards to lead the Sunbirds. 
 
"I think that what makes us a good team is you have to defend everybody every game. We don't key in on one player game after game. It makes us a lot harder to defend," said Wilson.
 
FPU went down nine early to the Hawks who were all over the floor defensively forcing eight first-half turnovers and holding the Sunbirds to 40-percent from the field. A well-balanced offensive attack brought Fresno Pacific back outscoring HNU 21-16 over the final 10-minutes. Saindon had 10 points at the break, the only Sunbirds in double-digits at halftime. 
 
The two teams traded buckets for the first nearly seven minutes of the second half before a three-pointer by Brooke Vidmar with 13:18 sparked a 7-3 run to put the Sunbirds in front for the first time since 1:14 remained in the first half. Holy Names countered with a run of their own pushing the lead back out to five with just under 10 minutes remaining.
 
A pair of Sonia Aguilar free throws with 1:12 remaining gave Holy Names a three-point lead before the Sunbirds answered with a pair of free throws of their own before knocking down the game winner in the final seconds. 
 
Fresno Pacific held HNU to just 32.1-percent shooting in the second half and the Hawks were unable to take advantage of 21 trips to the free throw line where they shot just 47.6-percent (10-21).
 
Holy Names got 18 points from Aguilar who led all scorers, and three other Hawks scored in double-figures. 
 
The Sunbirds will be back on the hardwood Thursday, February 5 for "Think Pink Night" against Notre Dame de Namur at 5:30 p.m. The women's basketball team will be selling shirts for $10 with the proceeds benefitting the Play 4 Kay Foundation. You can also make donations on behalf of the Sunbirds at www.play4kay.org.