FRESNO, Calif. — The streak continues for the Sunbirds! Fresno Pacific reversed the result from the last time they faced Concordia and secured a 66-55 victory on Thursday night at the Special Events Center. The Sunbirds dominated the paint with 40 points and forced 15 points off turnovers, securing another conference win to boost their record to 6-3 in conference play.

"I'm really proud of our team for finding a different way to win the last two nights in grind-it-out games," said head coach C.J. Haydock. "We're in the midst of a really tough stretch of five games in ten days and I'm really proud of the team's maturity and approach so far. As always, there's more work to do!"

Both men's basketball teams entered the Special Events Center with a conference record of 5-3. The last time FPU faced CUI was just before Christmas break at the Golden Eagles' home arena, where CUI defeated FPU 61-89. In a thrilling turn of events, the 'Birds utilized their home court advantage to its full extent in the late night rematch.

The first half started with the Sunbirds and Concordia exchanging early leads, highlighted by a strong inside presence from key returners Isaac Peralta and Seth Brown, who scored the opening points with layups. The Sunbirds capitalized on their paint advantage, scoring 22 points inside, to maintain a competitive edge. At the 12:10 mark, Amar Hot had an unforgettable mid-court steal that sent the ball trailing down the court, giving fellow teammate Davidson the chance to swoop in and make a layup for FPU, bumping the score 10-8. Great energy from the Sunbirds allowed them to push ahead of the Golden Eagles, providing multiple rebounding opportunities. A notable dunk by Liam Switzer changed the momentum of the game at 10:18. It was Switzer again who stopped the Golden Eagles seven-point run and a few minutes later, Logan Kilbert sealed the deal with a three-pointer at 3:27 and a jumper at 2:36. The Sunbirds' surge, including a layup and free throw by Nick Davidson at 1:14, extended their lead. The half concluded with the Sunbirds ahead 30–26.

The Sunbirds surged ahead with a decisive run midway through the second half, building on a 37–30 lead with contributions from both the paint and beyond the arc. Seth Brown's dunk at 16:34, following his own steal, was a highlight during this stretch. Peralta and Brandon Gibson Jr. provided key points, including a dunk by the PacWest Player of the Week at 12:33. With the clock winding down, Hugo Gonzalez Garcia sank a deep shot from downtown to make it 54-41 and Kilbert followed moments after with a jumper of his own. However, the Golden Eagles fought back and made it an eight-point game at 1:51, trailing 58-50. Crucial free throws from Gibson Jr., Davidson, and Brown in the final minutes secured the victory. The half concluded with the Sunbirds outscoring Concordia 36–29, leading to a final score of 66–55.

Peralta scored 12 points and recorded seven rebounds while adding four assists. Gibson Jr. posted 13 points, converting seven of 10 free throws and collecting four rebounds. Liam Switzer contributed eight points and registered two blocks, showcasing strong defensive efforts. Brown tallied 10 points and made two steals. Kilbert also had a spectacular night, executing on 4-5 of his field goals and nailing a three-pointer when the Sunbirds needed it most.

The Sunbirds improved to 7-8 overall and 6-3 in PacWest play following their victory. The men's team climbed higher up the PacWest standings, coming in third just below Chaminade (5-1 conf.) and Point Loma (8-2 conf.).

NEXT UP: The 'Birds face off against Jessup on Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 7:15 pm to conclude the home stretch. Come down to the Special Events Center to cheer on your Sunbirds!

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