FRESNO, Calif.-A 26-8 run at the end of the first half helped the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (1-4 overall) convert their hard-work into the first win of the year with a 53-40 victory over the UC Merced Bobcats (2-2 overall) Saturday evening at the Special Events Center.

Ryan Abbott set FPU off on the right foot as the 'Birds overcame an early 6-2 deficit by finding an edge on the glass and an advantage in the paint.

Abbott scored 10 of his 13 points in the first half and gave FPU a consistent interior threat from the jump.

Midway through the first, Abbott had a couple of buckets in between three-pointers from Alvar Peltoniemi and Ryas Vang that helped build separation.

Kyle Monk and Isaac Peralta added threes and Abbott tacked on another basket with Avery Lewis capping a run that gave FPU a 28-14 lead just minutes before halftime.

The Sunbirds defense was stifling, forcing seven turnovers but held UC Merced to just 25% shooting in the first half. That included a 1-7 first half from deep for the Bobcats.

"They are running all over the place," FPU Head Coach C.J. Haydock said of the challenge the opponents presented. "They run really, really crisp offense with pace and consecutive actions. I was most pleased with our connection on screens. We really wiped their screen actions and was really strong against a comprehensive, well-coached team."

Fresno Pacific held a 30-17 lead into the half and marched the lead out to 23 points midway through the second half before UC Merced started to knock down a few shots.

The turnovers also began to pile up for Fresno Pacific, as they committed 12 of their 18 in the second half.

But the defense remained strong on the perimeter, limiting the Bobcats to just one other three pointer in the second half while knocking down three total second half triples to secure the win.

Abbott finished as the game's leading scorer with 13 points while Kyle Monk added 11 and Avery Lewis chipped in 9, including the basket that gave FPU a lead that it would not relinquish.

"It was super important to start strong defensively." Abbott said after. "Especially the position we were in coming into this game, it was important to start strong and for us that's on the defensive end."

Fresno Pacific was plus 10 on the glass and converted 12 second chance points on 16 offensive rebounds.

"At halftime we had 11 of them that we gave back," Haydock said of the team's second chance points. "We set a really physical tempo. We're really good at half-court defense and pounded the glass to generate second chances. And its guards rebounding. It's a collective effort to really rebound like that."

Peralta was the game's leading rebounder with 9 while Abbott added seven boards for the Sunbirds.

"Really important to get this win," Haydock added. "I thought we seized up late, but we had some really important leadership from Ryan Abbott. Ryas Vang was running around causing havoc. I thought that was the difference and those two guys got going and steadied us and in that stretch Kyle Monk, but it was our defense that turned into offense thanks our veteran presence."

Fresno Pacific gears up for a three game road trip in Hawai'i beginning December 2^nd at Chaminade at 5 p.m. (Pacific).

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