HONOLULU – The Chaminade University men's basketball team was unable to overcome an all-around performance from BYU-Hawai'i Thursday, falling 99-78 at McCabe Gym.
Six Seasiders scored in double digits, led by Pablo Coro's 21 points, who banged five 3-pointers on the night. Scott Friel added 13 points.
The Silverswords got another solid performance from sophomore forward
Kuany Kuany, who had 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the floor while also pulling down six rebounds.
Oscar Pedroso added a season-high 16 points, also going 6-of-8. He also nailed three 3-pointers.
David Ware came off the bench with 11 points.
AJ Mathew had nine points while
Frankie Eteuati added eight and three blocked shots.
Chaminade fell to 8-11 overall, 5-8 in the Pacific West Conference while BYUH, ranked No. 16 in the latest NABC Coaches Poll, improved to 18-2 and 12-2, moving into a tie for first place in the PacWest standings.
The Seasiders didn't waste any time as Friel's seven points and Jordan Stone's four helped open up a 16-6 lead early on. The 'Swords battled back as Pedroso nailed a 3-ball as well as two buckets from Kuany and one from
Kiran Shastri brought Chaminade to 19-15 with 13:16 left in the first half. It was as close as the Silverswords would get as the Seasiders slowly built their lead back to double digits.
Pedroso's 3-pointer brought Chaminade back to within single digits at 37-29 with 4:35 left, but BYUH went on a barrage. The Seasiders hit four straight buckets – three of them on 3-pointers by Coro and Robbie Mitchell – as their lead swelled to 48-29. Coro added yet another triple for good measure at the halftime buzzer to give BYUH a commanding 53-34 lead.
The Silverswords were never able to get the deficit to single digits in the second half.
BYUH shot 47 percent from the floor to CUH's 43. The Seasiders also outrebounded the 'Swords, 43-33, and were 23-of-29 from the free throw line. The 'Swords were able to knock down 11 3-balls. Like Pedroso, Mathew hit a trio of triples as well.
The Silverswords return to action on Sunday when they face intercity rival Hawai'i Pacific at the Blaisdell Center at 3 p.m. It'll be the 'Swords second game in the facility this season, having faced the University of Hawai'i-Manoa there in an exhibition game last December.
