FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno Pacific men's basketball team were unable to overcome a red-hot shooting night from behind the arc by the visiting Westmont Warriors and fell in the PacWest Conference opener 79-62.  Westmont came into the contest averaging 8.6 threes per game, but exploded for 12 against the Sunbirds.  Four Warriors accounted for over 80% of Westmont's points. 

The visitors jumped out of the gate flying, scoring the game's first 12 points.  Isaac Peralta was fouled on a drive to the hoop and put the 'Birds on the board with a pair of free throws.  The 'Birds had made a game of it by the midway point, only trailing by five and then by as few as three.  Leading scorer Isaac Peralta was accountable for 10 of FPU's first 19 points before Westmont began to turn it on once again.  Westmont's size and physicality tested the Sunbirds and built their lead back to double digits with five minutes remaining in the half.  The Warriors' final five field goals of the first half were all threes, and the visitors build up a commanding 20-point lead at half, 44-24. 

The second half saw the Warriors continue to drain threes and made it difficult for the hosts, leading by 32 less than halfway through the frame.  The Sunbirds were able to slow the Warriors at times – and actually outscored them in the second half thanks to some late runs – but the lead was just too much to overcome.  The Sunbirds closed the game on a 26-11 run - capped off by a resonant Liam Switzer dunk - to cut the Warriors' lead in half.  The final score from Fresno was 79-62.

Westmont had four players reach double-digit scoring compared to just two for FPU – Peralta and Brown with 14 and 12, respectively.  All in all, it was an off night for the Sunbirds compared to Westmont, who shot 71% on 12 of 17 shooting from behind the arc.  The loss drops the 'Birds to 3-6 on the season. 

The 'Birds are back on the court Saturday hosting the Biola Eagles at the Special Events Center in the second part of a Biola doubleheader with the women's team.  Tip off is set for 4:30pm and will be simulcasted on ESPN 790 AM and the PacWest Network with the new voice of Sunbirds hoops, CBS47 and KSEE24 Sports Director Scott Bemis, on the call. 
 

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