HONOLULU, Hawai'i -- Azusa Pacific produced four double-figure scorers, but the Cougars went cold from long range in a 76-58 loss to Hawai'i Pacific Thursday night in the second game of a three-game road trip to the islands.
Joey Schreiber and Connor Peterson led the way with 13 points each, and Schreiber pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double, but the Cougars combined to hit just seven-of-32 (22 percent) three-pointers and were held to a season scoring low as its four-game winning streak was snapped.
With the loss, Azusa Pacific drops back to .500, both overall (8-8) and in Pacific West Conference play (3-3), while HPU is one of three teams with one loss in PacWest play at the top of the conference standings at 13-1 overall, 5-1 PacWest.
The Cougars scored seven of the first nine points of the game, starting off the contest with a Schreiber three before a pair of Justin Byrd steals led to the next two baskets. Byrd finished the fast break himself the first time and gave it up to Peterson for a dunk that made it 7-2 less than three minutes into the game.
However, the Sharks reeled off 12 straight points before Will Ferris halted the momentum with a pair of three-pointers and a layup that cut Hawaii Pacific's lead to 16-15 with 12:14 left in the first half. Despite allowing another 12-2 HPU run, Azusa Pacific still remained within six points, 30-24, with 8:44 left in the half before the Sharks finished the half on a 23-10 run to take a commanding 53-34 halftime lead.
In the second half, the Cougars took less than five minutes to close the margin to 12 points, 60-48, with 15:35 to play, and a Peterson jumper with 7:45 left snapped a five-minute scoring drought for both teams while bringing Azusa Pacific within 11 points, 65-54. Hawaii Pacific answered with seven points in a row, and the Cougars didn't hit another field goal after Peterson's bucket with 7:45 to play, scoring only four more points (all free throws) during the final stretch.
Petar Kutlesic finished with 11 points and 6 rebounds, while Ferris added 10 points off the bench.
Hawai'i Pacific was led by Connor Looney's 20-point effort, and Chauncey Orr added 17 points and 8 rebounds for the Sharks, who opened the season with 12 consecutive wins before suffering an 80-70 defeat to California Baptist on Tuesday night.