FRESNO, Calif. — In the PacWest opener, the Sunbird men pulled ahead with a strong final half, outscoring Biola to secure the 85-80 victory in overtime. The Blue and Orange capitalized on turnovers, converting 19 points off Biola's 16 turnovers, and received a significant contribution from the bench, adding 29 points to their total.

Fresno Pacific opened the game with a strong offensive performance, highlighted by Isaac Peralta's layup at 18:17, setting the tone early. His return to the court after his recent injury gave the team an edge in the conference opener. FPU built a lead with Seth Brown's back-to-back 3-pointers, creating a 13–7 advantage by the 15:52 mark. The Sunbirds maintained their lead through effective shooting and defense, with Brandon Gibson Jr. adding a three-pointer at 7:42. The home team concluded the half narrowly ahead, leading 37–36.

"Proud of our progress against Biola," said head coach C.J. Haydock. "Getting our heart and soul back in Isaac Peralta and the way he influences the game is obviously a critical piece of that, but our mental grit to persevere was the most important development for our team."

The Sunbirds surged ahead early in the second half with Harrison Pennisi's free throws and a layup by Gibson Jr., pushing the score to 39-36. Amar Hot contributed significantly with back-to-back three-pointers, including one off a fast break assisted by Peralta, increasing their lead to 47-39 at 16:16. Despite Biola's efforts to close the gap, FPU maintained momentum with Nick Davidson's key layup at 14:35 and a three-pointer from Brown at 12:30, extending their advantage to 55-46.

As the half progressed, the Sunbirds faced a comeback from the Eagles, who eventually tied the game at 70-70 with 1:39 remaining. However, the 'Birds briefly reclaimed the lead after Liam Switzer's layup at 1:55 before Biola hit a late three-pointer at 00:20. Brown's free throws tied the game at 73-73, concluding the half with both teams locked at 73 each.

The Blue and Orange turned the momentum in overtime, tying the game at 76 with Peralta's layup and successful free throw at 3:20. Logan Kilbert later added five consecutive points, including a layup and free throw, which gave Fresno Pacific an 81–78 advantage with under two minutes remaining. Peralta sealed the game by sinking four free throws in the final seconds, leading the Sunbirds to a 85–80 victory over Biola.

Peralta scored 17 points and added five assists, contributing significantly to the team's offensive performance. Brown posted 16 points, including three successful 3-pointers and recorded three steals. Gibson Jr. finished with 12 points, converting five field goals on 10 attempts. Hot recorded two steals and added eight points, including two from beyond the arc.

"I think we've got a lot more growth in us. There's a lot of opportunities for improvement, especially with us having our three primary ballhandlers available for the first time. We will be relentless about chasing more growth, more toughness and togetherness as we prepare for a Point Loma team that is the standard for the league."

NEXT UP: The 'Birds continue PacWest Play on Saturday, Dec. 6! The matchup against Point Loma kicks off at 4:15 pm. 

Come down to the Special Events Center and participate in the Stuffed Animal Toss at halftime! Free admission will be given to those who arrive with a new stuffed animal, which will be donated to the Valley Children's Hospital.

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