FRESNO, Calif. – Adrian Antunez' game-winning shot attempt rattled out in the final seconds on Monday night as the Fresno Pacific men's basketball team fell just short to Point Loma, 74-72, in PacWest play.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Point Loma 74, Fresno Pacific 72
Records: FPU (4-13, 2-7 PacWest), PLNU (11-6, 5-3 PacWest)
Location: Fresno, Calif. | Special Events Center
Series: The Sunbirds trail 42-36
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QUOTABLE:
• "I thought our guys were at another level in terms of their effort tonight. We willed ourselves into a game with a very good Point Loma team with just reckless effort and had a great shot to win it at the buzzer, with quality execution that just didn't fall. This game will rip your heart out, and it did, but we just didn't make the last shot. Our guys' toughness, their ability to hang in there, and pure effort has us on to something. If we can reproduce that effort every night, our competitive level is going to go up immensely." – head coach C.J. Haydock
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
• The two teams came out firing in the opening half, as Point Loma drained 11 threes to take a 46-39 lead into the intermission.
• The Sunbirds chipped away at the lead throughout the second half before a four-point play from Jake Straughan knotted the game at 55 apiece with 13:28 to play.
• The 'Birds found themselves trailing by nine with 4:27 to play, but then stormed back to grab a lead, 72-71, after Antunez made a jumper with 36 seconds left.
• After a pair of free throws from the Sea Lions, the Sunbirds came out of a timeout and nearly found the game-winner with three seconds left but the floater from Antunez rimmed out.
 
STATS OF THE GAME:
• Antunez had a career night, as the freshman led FPU with 22 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals.
• Straughan added 15 points and four threes, Sam Burt amassed 12 points, five rebounds and four assists, and Elijah Hill totaled nine points, four assists, three rebounds, two blocks and two steals for the 'Birds.
• The Sunbirds outscored the Sea Lions 38-20 in the paint, but lost the rebounding battle 40-28.
• FPU finished the night shooting 47 percent from the floor, while PLNU shot at a clip of 45 percent. The Sea Lions finished with 13 threes on the night.
• Preston Beverly led PLNU with a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds.
 
BEYOND THE BOX:
• Antunez totaled career highs in points (22), field-goals made (10), threes (2) and assists (6) in the setback.
• FPU had a season-best 11 steals and forced a season-high 18 turnovers.
 
UP NEXT:
• The Sunbirds continue their five-game homestand on Saturday against Hawai'i Hilo at 4:30 p.m.