IRVINE, Calif. – In the first meeting of the season between the Chaminade University and Concordia University Irvine men's basketball teams, the Silverswords overcame a double-digit deficit to pull out a win in Honolulu.
In Saturday's rematch, it was the Eagles who turned the tables on the 'Swords.
Chaminade built an early double-digit lead before Concordia stormed back with a run late in the first half to hand the Silverswords an 85-71 loss at CU Arena.
The loss not only dropped Chaminade to 13-8 overall and 9-5 in the Pacific West Conference, it dropped them to fifth place in the conference while Concordia (12-8, 8-4 PacWest) replaced them in fourth place.
Rohndell Goodwin paced the 'Swords with 18 points and eight rebounds while
Austin Pope had 16 points and
Sam Daly 12. Pope had three rebounds on the night, snapping his streak of five straight double-doubles.
Justin Davis led the Eagles with 17 points. CUI, which came into the contest seventh of 14 teams in the PacWest in 3-point percentage at 33.2 percent, hit a season-high 15 3-pointers while making them at a 53.6 percent clip, its second-highest of the year.
The 'Swords held a slim one-point lead early in the first half but went on an 11-3 run with the help from Goodwin's pair of triples, giving them a 21-9 lead at the 11:29 mark. But CUI responded with an 11-2 run later in the half to give the home team their first lead of the game at 31-30 with 4:38 left and owned a 42-40 halftime lead.
CUI opened the second half by hitting four of its first six attempts including three from long range. The Eagles were 6-of-7 in the first seven minutes of the stanza, resulting in a 24-2 run that gave them their largest lead of the night at 69-42.
Despite shooting nearly 53 percent from the floor, the 'Swords committed 17 turnovers and made only six triples.
The Silverswords continue the road trip Monday at Azusa Pacific.
