FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno Pacific University men's basketball team sank a season-best 16 3-pointers against Hawaii Pacific on Tuesday night, the Sunbirds cruised to an 86-45 victory over the Sharks.
QUOTABLE
"Little rocky out of the gate, but I thought we responded to being challenged well. We locked in on the defensive side, and I thought we had the best ball movement we've had all year on offense. Just a lot of extra passes and selflessness, and as a result, we make 16 3s. There is no time for wasted reps or habits this time of year, and we've got a lot of preparation to do heading into next week. Most importantly, we must compete in a way on Saturday that honors our seniors and all they've given to our program."– head coach C.J. Haydock.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The opening 13 minutes of the game were slow-paced, as the two teams traded buckets until the score landed on 20 apiece.
- FPU closed out the first half with a 13-6 run, as a 3-pointer from Garrett Cook sealed it and gave the team a 33-26 lead at halftime.
- Halftime didn't slow down the Sunbird run, as they opened the break on a 15-3 heater to go up 50-29.
- The Sunbirds expanded their lead over the remainder of the second half and went on to take it 86-45.
STATS FROM THE GAME
- Jelani Watson-Gayle could not miss, leading everyone with 28 points on a 10-for-17 shooting performance, including eight 3-pointers made. He added five rebounds, four assists, and two steals to a stellar night.
- Nate Kendricks went 3-for-4 from 3-point range on his way to 13 points.
- Foul trouble slowed down Darrin Person Jr. who had 10 points and five rebounds in 20 minutes on the floor.
- Grant Highstreet poured in a career-high 8 points, leading an FPU bench that scored 27 points.
BEYOND THE BOX
- 16 made 3's is most in a single game since The Sunbirds knocked down 17 against UC Merced on Nov. 18, 2014.
UP NEXT
- The Blue and Orange are back inside the Special Events Center on Saturday, Feb 26, as they host Academy of Art at 4:30 p.m.
- The Sunbirds will celebrate Cook, Alex Ferguson, A.J. Kirby, Sean Nealon-Lino, and Watson-Gayle before tip-off against the Urban Knights.
- Attendance to the game is granted via pass list, and masks are required. A live stream can be found on the Team1SportsApp or listen to the game on 790 ESPN.
SUNBIRD SOCIAL
- Twitter - @fpusunbirds
- Instagram - @fpusunbirds
- Facebook - /FPUsunbirds
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