HONOLULU, Hawai'i – Azusa Pacific held off a late charge by Hawaii Pacific to secure a 66-63 victory Thursday evening at the Shark Tank. Kelly Heimburger contributed 16 points and the winning buckets, while Amayah Kirkman delivered a standout performance with 23 points and 13 rebounds to help the Cougars remain unbeaten in PacWest play.

How It Happened: The Cougars started strong, jumping out to a 20-19 lead in the opening quarter, but Hawai'i Pacific trailed closely behind. Despite the Sharks matching them shot for shot, Azusa Pacific converted five offensive rebounds into successful second-chance points.

In the second quarter, the Cougars extended their lead, outscoring the Sharks 16-15 to take an advantage into halftime. The Cougars capitalized on their defensive pressure, forcing six turnovers in the period. Audrey Sayoc knocked down her second three-pointer of the game, while Kelly Heimburger and Sabrina Bequist both added another four points in the paint. Despite struggles from beyond the arc (shooting just 2-for-10 in the first half), the Cougars ended the quarter leading 36-34.

The third quarter was pivotal for the Cougars as they slightly edged the Sharks, opened by back-to-back jumpers from Belquist and Sayoc. The game saw a dead period for almost two minutes, as neither team was able to put points on the board. Kirkman had a stellar end to the quarter, scoring seven points with just 1:29 on the clock. She had ten points in the third period alone. The Cougars were able to hold Hawai'i Pacific to 15 points in the quarter, giving them a 54-49 edge entering the final ten minutes.

In the fourth quarter, the Cougars relied on their defense to weather a late push by the Sharks, who led the Cougars 63-61 with just 2:38 left in the game. A layup and two clutch free throws by Heimburger put the Cougars back in the lead to close out the game 66-63 and remain perfect in conference play.

By the Numbers: The Sharks outshot the Cougars from both beyond the arc and for two, but the Cougars found success in free throws, shooting 86%, while Hawai'i Pacific only converted half of its chances at the line. Kirkman's double-double included three offensive rebounds, while Heimburger added eight rebounds and a block. Sayoc finished with 11 points and five rebounds, while Sabrina Belquist chipped in 10 points.

Up Next: Azusa Pacific (13-1, 7-0 PacWest) will remain in Hawai'i to face Chaminade on Saturday, January 11. Tipoff is scheduled for 12:30 PM HST (2:30 PM PST).