HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's basketball played their final non-conference game of the season but came up on the short end of a 67-63 decision to Southern Wesleyan of South Carolina Thursday at St. Francis School Gym.
Courtney Kaupu was 7-for-11 from the floor and set a new team record for 3-point field goal percentage by going 5-for-5 with a season-high 20 points but it wasn't enough as the Silverswords fell to 3-4, snapping their team-record three-game winning streak.
Four Warriors scored in double digits, led by Taylor Vinson who had 13 points as Southern Wesleyan improved to 4-5 on the year.
Taylor Babbitt had a season-best 10 points for the 'Swords while
Lilia Maio had nine points and a team-best six rebounds.
Kristle Henry had nine points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Kennedi Akana had three blocked shots, her most since January 2014, increasing her career-record to 71.
Shana Kawakami had a team-high four steals.
Kaupu helped Chaminade bolt out to a 16-10 lead with eight first quarter points with the 'Swords holding an 18-15 lead after the first 10 minutes.
Maio and Babbitt to back-to-back shots to open the second quarter before the Warriors battled back as a 13-4 run gave SWU its first lead at 26-24.
Bobbi Montibon's layup knotted the score at 28 with 4:42 left in the half but the Silverswords went ice cold from the floor as Southern Wesleyan ended the second quarter with 11 straight points to hold a 39-28 lead at the break.
The Warriors maintained a double-digit lead through most of the third quarter. Maio and Babbitt combined for eight points toward the end of the stanza, capped by Maio's layup to bring the 'Swords to within three at 47-44 with seven seconds left. However Vinson's jumper just inside the free throw line right before the buzzer pushed the Warrior's lead back to five at 49-44.
Southern Wesleyan managed to stretch its lead to 56-45 midway early in the fourth quarter but Henry rallied the 'Swords with back-to-back layups. After a Warriors score, Babbitt hit consecutive shots as Chaminade closed to 58-54 with just under five minutes left.
SWU then had a response of its own when Vinson and Cayse Branyon buried consecutive triples to put the Warriors up by 10. The 'Swords had one last gasp as Kaupu knocked down her fifth 3-ball of the game with 1:48 left and a Maio bucket a minute later as they closed to 66-62. The Warriors then turned the ball over to give Chaminade a chance to make it a one-possession game but the 'Swords couldn't convert on the other end.
The Warriors then gave possession back to Chaminade but the Silverswords failed to hit two free throws with 17 seconds remaining that would've reduced the deficit to two.
The Silverswords shot 42.4 percent from the floor and was 7-for-17 from long range but was a paltry 5-of-13 from the free throw line. They pulled down 38 boards, had 15 assists but had 26 turnovers.
Meanwhile Southern Wesleyan shot 40.7 percent from the field while hitting six triples. SWU had 41 rebounds and was 13-for-25 from the foul line. They had only eight assists and, like Chaminade, committed 26 turnovers.
The 'Swords will jump back into Pacific West Conference action Saturday as they face BYU-Hawai'i in Laie at 5 p.m. as they look to remain unbeaten in the PacWest.
