FRESNO, Calif. - A second-half surge from the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds lifted them to victory Tuesday night in their final home game of the season against the Hawai'i Pacific Sharks 50-46. With the victory, FPU is now locked in to the 2025 PacWest Conference Championships - their seventh postseason berth in the last eight seasons.
"Another great team effort to find a way to win tonight," said head coach Tim Beauregard after the win. "I'm most excited for our nine seniors who, since day one, believed they could leave a legacy of their own. They've given so much to this team and I'm proud they've earned a chance to extend their careers a little longer."
Fresno Pacific came out aggressive on their home court, setting the tone early with an efficient offensive performance. Anisa Rillo opened the scoring with a three-pointer off an assist from Jasmine Heu, giving the Sunbirds an early boost. Julie Ramirez and Bre Hurt contributed inside, controlling the paint and converting second-chance opportunities.
The Sharks, however, kept pace, scoring two early layups and protected the rim with strong defense. The 'Birds hit a trio of three-pointers in the quarter, and despite some turnover struggles, they finished the first 10 minutes with a 17-14 lead.
The second quarter saw a defensive shift, with both teams tightening up on that end of the floor. Fresno Pacific struggled from the field, shooting just 4-for-16, but remained in control due to their defense forcing Hawaii Pacific into mistakes.
Joleen Corona and Olivia Garcia provided valuable minutes off the bench helping the Sunbirds stay in front. However, the offense slowed down significantly for both teams. At halftime, the 'Birds held onto a narrow 27-26 lead in what had become a grinding contest.
Fresno Pacific made their strongest push in the third quarter, outscoring Hawaii Pacific 15-7. Heu knocked down a three-pointer to open the second half, igniting the Sunbirds' offense. Angela Whitfield and Ramirez continued to make plays, with Whitfield securing key rebounds and hitting a pair of outside shots.
On the defensive end, Lydia Manu and Kate Evans applied pressure, forcing the Sharks into nine turnovers in the quarter. Hawaii Pacific struggled to find offensive rhythm, missing all three of their three-point attempts in the period. Fresno Pacific entered the fourth quarter with a comfortable 42-33 lead.
Hawaii Pacific refused to go down without a fight and cut the Sunbirds' lead to as little as one point in the final two minutes. But key defensive stops by Whitfield and Hurt and timely scoring from Kira Wilmurt, Ramirez, and Heu kept the Sunbirds ahead.
A critical free throw from Whitfield in the closing seconds cemented the victory, and despite a last-second attempt by Hawaii Pacific, Fresno Pacific held on for a 50-46 win. The victory, coupled with the loss for HPU, guaranteed that the 'Birds could finish no worse than sixth of the eligible teams in the PacWest standings. The top six in the standings qualify for the conference tournament.
"Postseason basketball is simply the best," added Beauregard, whose team narrowly missed out on hoisting the conference trophy last year in overtime. "More than the game itself, it's an opportunity to spend more time together. We just love being around each other."
"Over the next two weeks, we'll stay committed to the daily pursuit of being the best version of our team while preparing for a challenging final conference game."
UP NEXT
Fresno Pacific will take some much needed time off before heading to Rocklin for their final game of the regular season against the Jessup Warriors on Saturday March 1st at 12pm before preparing for the PacWest Championships the weekend of March 6-8 at Dominican University's Conlan Center in San Rafael, CA.
"Last year, we proved we could show up to the tournament and make some noise. This year, we plan to do the same."
SUNBIRD SOCIAL
X - @fpusunbirds
Instagram - @fpusunbirds
Facebook - /FPUsunbirds
#TeamFPU
