HILO, Hawaii — Fresno Pacific University women's basketball closed out their Hawaii trip with a victory over Hawaii Hilo 73-59 at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium. The Lady 'Birds flew out the gates with an eight-point lead after the first quarter and didn't look back, securing the win with a dominant 39-31 rebounding advantage.

"Super proud of our team for finding enough gas in the tank to finish this trip the right way," said head coach Tim Beauregard. "It's incredibly hard to win the last game of a nine-day Hawaii trip, and I'm proud of our commitment to stay focused and lean into the task at hand."

Fresno Pacific opened the game with a strong performance, establishing a quick pace and securing a 22-14 lead by the end of the first quarter. The team shot effectively from beyond the arc, with Sienna Evans and Alexa Perryman contributing key 3-pointers. The Sunbirds' defense also played a crucial role, highlighted by Angela Whitfield's block in the final seconds, which helped maintain their advantage over Hawaii Hilo.

The 'Birds seized control early in the second quarter with a swift scoring run, highlighted by Mason Long's fast-break 3-pointer just seconds into the quarter. Long continued to contribute significantly, adding a layup at the 7:05 mark. The Blue and Orange maintained their momentum, outscoring Hawaii Hilo by eight points in the paint and demonstrating effective ball movement with five assists during the quarter. Evans sank the 42^nd point for the 'Birds on a three-pointer with two minutes left. Despite occasional turnovers, the Sunbirds' strong defensive rebounding limited Hawaii Hilo's opportunities, closing the quarter with a 20-12 margin to lead 42-26 at halftime.

"Our group did a great job buying in and executing a very specific game plan, which allowed us to control the pace the way we wanted. When we can dictate tempo, and play with enthusiasm, we give ourselves a chance every night."

The Lady 'Birds maintained their lead in the third quarter through consistent scoring, highlighted by Evans' early layups, which pushed the score to 46-28 with 7:55 remaining. Despite Hawaii Hilo's attempt to close the gap with a series of successful jumpers, the Sunbirds' offensive efforts, including key baskets from Ashley Aughterson and Grace Brown, kept them ahead. Whitfield sealed the quarter by converting crucial free throws, ensuring the Sunbirds ended the quarter with a 56-46 lead.

In the end, FPU solidified its lead early in the fourth quarter, with Trinity Tolbert scoring a layup at 9:23 and converting two free throws shortly after, pushing the score to 60–46. Whitfield later extended the advantage with a 3-pointer at 6:26, assisted by Long, increasing the gap to 63–48. The Sunbirds maintained their momentum despite Hawaii Hilo's efforts, with Evans contributing with a jumper at 2:29 to keep the margin significant. The quarter concluded with Nina Wisniewski sinking two free throws with 26 seconds remaining, sealing the game at 73–59.

Offensively, Evans scored 15 points, including three 3-pointers, and collected eight rebounds. Whitfield recorded nine points and eight rebounds while adding two blocks. Wisniewski contributed 11 points and converted all four of her free throws. Aughterson finished with 10 points, making five of seven basket attempts.

"We had a lot of contributors tonight, and that's who we are. Anybody, any night. We're excited to get home, get some rest, and lock in for this final stretch of the season."

The Sunbirds have a record of 9-15 overall and 6-13 in PacWest play.

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