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HTML Box Score: CWU vs. Hawai'i Pacific | Seattle Pacific vs. BYU-Hawai'i

ELLENSBURG (Nov. 22) -- Senior guard Mark McLaughlin (Bothell/Inglemoor HS) led three Central Washington University starters in double figures, but the Wildcat men's basketball team fell behind early and was never able to catch up to visiting Hawai'i Pacific University in a 71-64 loss to the Sea Warriors in the opening game of the GNAC/PacWest Challenge on Friday night at Nicholson Pavilion.

The loss, which came in the Wildcats' home opener, dropped the CWU win-loss record to 1-2 on the season. HPU improved to 2-0.

"We didn't play with a sense of urgency in the first half," CWU head coach Greg Sparling said. "I think if we play with that sense of urgency early in the game, we win the game at the end."

The Wildcats fell behind 4-0 after misses on their first two possessions, but were able to tie the game at 6-6 after a lay-up by senior Kevin Davis (Federal Way/Todd Beamer HS) at the 16:23 mark. That was the only time CWU would be tied or in the lead the entire contest, as Hawai'i Pacific responded with a 14-2 scoring run over the next 5 1/2 minutes. The Sea Warriors pushed the lead to 14 on five separate occasions in the opening period before the Wildcats closed the half on a 9-3 spurt to make it an eight-point differential at the break.

CWU closed the gap early in the second half, closing to within two at 46-44, but once again, Hawai'i Pacific responded. The Sea Warriors reeled of 12 of the next 14 points to extend the lead back to double digits, and the Wildcats could get no closer than four down the stretch. Senior JB Pillard III (Kirkland/Juanita HS) divided a pair of free throws with one minute remaining, and HPU missed a pair of free throws, but turnovers by McLaughlin and junior Dylan Radliff (Richland) on the next two possessions, combined with three free throws by the Sea Warriors, enabled the guests to steal the victory.

"We executed the game plan defensively in the second half," Sparling said, "We got ourselves in a position late to where we could make a run to perhaps win the game, but we made a couple of mistakes down the stretch that prevented us from completing that comeback."

The Wildcats' three starting seniors -- McLaughlin, Davis, and Pillard -- all reached double figures in scoring on Friday. McLaughlin had a game-high 22 on 9 of 22 shooting, adding seven rebounds and six assists. Davis posted his first double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds, hitting on 7 of 10 shots, while Pillard finished with 11 points and seven rebounds. However, the other seven CWU players to appear in the game combined for just 17 points, with 14 of those from the other two starters -- guards Joey Roppo (So., Monroe) and Joshua Lord (Jr., Tacoma/Mount Tahoma HS).

CWU committed just nine turnovers and forced 12, but the Wildcats were just 2 of 18 from three-point range and hit on just 36.9 percent overall. Hawai'i Pacific, meanwhile, made 46.4 percent from the floor and was 5 of 12 from three-point range, and the Sea Warriors outrebounded the Wildcats by a 42-38 mark.

Justin Long had 19 points and six rebounds for HPU, while three of his fellow starters also broke into double figures. Farbod Farman had 17 points and six boards, followed by 11 points each from Malte Ziegenhagen and Darry Jones Jr.

CWU will face Brigham Young University-Hawai'i to conclude tournament play on Saturday at 4 p.m. Hawai'i Pacific plays Seattle Pacific University in the 2 p.m. contest.

#9 Seattle Pacific 86, BYU-Hawai'i 73
Seattle Pacific outscored BYU-Hawai'i, 47-34, in the second half to break a 39-39 halftime tie en route to an 86-73 win over the Seasiders in the second game of the GNAC/PacWest Challenge on Friday night.

The Falcons improved to 5-1 on the season, while BYUH fell to 1-2.

Cory Hutsen scored 13 of his game-high 22 points in the first half for the Falcons, while Matt Borton added 18 points including 4 of 5 three-point shooting and Patrick Simon finished with 12.

BYU-Hawai'i was led by the 17 bench points from Scott Friel, who finished 7 of 13 from the field in 28 minutes of action. Starters Robbie Mitchell and Cory Lange scored 10 points each, with Mitchell handing out a game-high seven assists.