Box Score HONOLULU – For the first 18 minutes, the Chaminade University women's basketball team showed they could compete with the Pacific West Conference's elite.
Playing in their first game at McCabe Gym in nearly a month, the Silverswords could not sustain a well-played first half, falling to Azusa Pacific, 80-54, in a Pacific West Conference game Monday.
A 15-4 APU run to end the first half broke a 24-all tie proved to be too much for the Silverswords to overcome, dropping them to 2-15 overall and 2-9 in the PacWest. The win improved the Cougars to 14-5 overall and moved them into a first place tie atop the conference standings with Academy of Art at 12-1.
Lilia Maio led Chaminade with 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the floor while pulling down six rebounds.
Kristle Henry and
Shana Kawakami had seven points each for the Silverswords while
Kennedi Akana had a team-high eight rebounds.
Sendy Valles ended the night with a game-high 22 points while Alison Greene had 11. Kelly Hardeman, the conference's fourth leading scorer at 16.9 points per game, was held to only five.
The 'Swords trailed by as many as eight (16-8) midway through the first half, but worked their way back into the game.
Glacen Florita's 3-pointer tied it at 19 with 7:23 left in the half. After the Cougars retook the lead, Chaminade again rallied and took its first lead at 24-23 lead on Maio's layup with 4:12 left. But the Cougars' 15-4 run to end the half to take a 38-28 advantage at intermission.
Maio had 14 first half points on 6-of-9 shooting with three rebounds to lead the 'Swords. Florita had five for CUH. Sendy Valles had 15 to lead APU. CUH shot 39.4 percent from the floor with 17 rebounds. Azusa Pacific was 36.8 from the floor with 30 rebounds.
The Cougars rode the end of the first half momentum, going on a 16-5 run to begin the second half to help stymie the 'Swords' chances for the upset.
The 'Swords were held to only six made baskets in the second half to shoot 30.9 percent (17-of-55) in the game. Azusa Pacific shot 39 percent (30-of-77) from the field. Chaminade was out-rebounded, 57-36, and committed 18 turnovers to the Cougars' 13.
The 'Swords are back on the road Friday with their rematch against Hawai'i-Hilo on the Big Island. Chaminade defeated the Vulcans at McCabe Gym earlier this season. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m.
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