Vulcans Lose PacWest Twinbill to Grand Canyon

David Kaneshiro’s Vulcan ladies haven’t been able to buy a break in the last few weeks.

For the sixth time in a row, a PacWest women’s basketball contest involving the Vulcans has been decided by single digits, and for the fifth time in that stretch, UH Hilo fell on the losing side of the ledger, falling in overtime to the Grand Canyon Antelopes 65-59.

The break that the home team didn’t get came at the end of regulation. GCU guard Maylinn Smith dribbled into a triple team near half court with less than eight seconds remaining when the ball was jarred free and picked up by Vulcan guard Kirsten Shimizu. Shimizu hurried toward the rim when she collided with a Grand Canyon defender and hit the deck as the buzzer sounded. Referee Ki’ilani Spencer threw her arm up to indicate that she was calling a foul, much to the shock of Antelope head coach Trent May. All three officials gathered at half court, and concluded that the foul happened after the clock hit zeroes, sending the game to overtime.

The loss spoiled Kirsty Imai’s best offensive output of the season. The junior guard knocked down five threes, scoring 19 points on the evening. She also played a large part in the defensive challenge on GCU’s top scorer, Maylinn Smith, holding her to 14 hard fought points before Smith fouled out in the overtime session.

Grand Canyon improved to 9-2 in the PacWest conference, and a perfect 9-0 on the road throughout the year. Head Coach Trent May picked up his 100th career win as Antelope head coach.

Grand Canyon 29 24 12 – 65

Hawaii-Hilo 28 25 6 – 59

TEAM STATS:

Grand Canyon: 25-55 FG (45.5%), 3-10 3PT (30.0%), 12-24 FT (50.0%)

Hawaii-Hilo: 18-49 FG (36.7%), 7-17 3PT (41.2%), 16-22 FT (72.7%)

LEADING SCORERS: GCU – Maylinn Smith 14, Jalissa Butler 14, Jenna Pearson 10, Joslynn Frasier 8, Angelina Dennison 6, Stevie Kemp 5, Sheila Washington 5, Erica Paskell 3. UHH – Kirsty Imai 19, Kirsten Shimizu 11, Jameia McDuffie 9, Jazlyn Afusia 6, Natalie Mata 4, Hotia Vaaimamao 4, Elise Spain 2, Shannon Rousseau 2, Thea Hanato-Smith 2.

Vulcan Men Drop Seventh Straight

The Vulcan Men played some of their best team basketball for a five minute stretch midway through the second half of their contest against Grand Canyon. The only problem with that was that it came during a 21 point deficit.

Despite a 13-0 run that got UH-Hilo within eight points with 10:41 to play in the game, UH Hilo could not overcome a deficit as big as 24 points to the hot shooting Antelopes in an 84-71 loss, dropping the Vulcans into a tie for last place in the PacWest with a record of 1-10.

Most of the first half was played at a fairly even pace, with both teams at times looking sluggish. The tide seemed to turn with 5:08 left in the opening half when Vulcan guard Michael Hearn drove baseline by his defender and dropped down a right-handed poster-worthy dunk on an Antelope help defender to get UH-Hilo within 5 at 28-23. After the dunk, Hearn said a few unnecessary things and showboated his way to a technical foul. From that moment forward, Grand Canyon opened up a 13-1 run on UH-Hilo over the next two and a half minutes, including four made threes in a row, leading them to a 46-27 halftime lead.

The lead got up to 24 for a brief time in the second half before the Vulcans made a frenzied comeback, getting within eight with over ten and a half minutes remaining in the game. However, after a Terrell Mack turnover, a Kyle Speed three on the next possession pushed the lead back to double digits. The Vulcans were not able to get any closer than nine points away as the game slipped away.

Grand Canyon earned the win from the three point line tonight, knocking down 12 three pointers, making 52 percent of their long distance shots in the game. The Antelopes improved to 6-5 in the PacWest with the win.

Grand Canyon: 46 38 – 84

Hawaii-Hilo: 27 44 – 71

TEAM STATS:

Grand Canyon: 26-48 FG (54.2%), 12-23 3PT (52.2%), 20-27 FT (74.1%)

Hawaii-Hilo: 26-47 FG (55.3%), 2-9 3PT (22.2%), 17-24 FT (70.8%)

LEADING SCORERS: GCU – Kyle Speed 17, Jerome Garrison 17, Braylon Pickrel 11, Nick Witherill 11, Steve Morin 10, Justin Foreman 7, Blake Davis 6, Barret Robbins 4, Justin Wesolowski 1. UHH – Terrell Mack 18, Dirk Snel 14, Paul Batausa 12, Mychael Hearn 9, Zachary Wilde 7, Michael Melonas 7, CJ Brown 2, Kiel Myers 2.