HONOLULU – Forty-eight hours after a suffering a disappointing loss at home to Concordia, the Chaminade University men's basketball rebounded against the conference favorites and then some.
Two Silverswords set career-highs in scoring in their wire-to-wire 92-79 win over No. 14 California Baptist Saturday at McCabe Gym.
Reigning Pacific West Conference Player of the Week
Austin Pope (Burbank, Calif./North Idaho College) poured in 28 points while
Erik Scheive (Marysville, Calif./Yuba College) added 23. And although
Braden Koelliker's (Kaysville, Utah/Colorado State) career-high is 21 points set last year while he was at Colorado State, his 16 points vs. CBU are the most in his brief career at Chaminade.
Gabe Taylor led the Lancers (6-2, 0-1 PacWest) with 24 points while Preseason Player of the Year selection Kalidou Diouf had 16 points and 17 boards.
The victory snapped a three-game skid to CBU with the 'Swords' last win coming on January 29, 2015 when the Lancers were also nationally ranked. It was also the fourth-ever win over a national-ranked foe for Chaminade head coach
Eric Bovaird. Three of those victories have come at California Baptist's expense.
Justin Bridges (Atlanta/Georgia Highlands) had 12 points and three assists in the win while
Grant Dressler (Las Vegas/Sacramento State) contributed with eight points and seven boards. Koelliker had two blocks for the 'Swords.
Up 16-14 midway through the first half, the 'Swords went on an 18-5 run to push the lead to double-digits with Pope, Scheive and Koelliker combining for 14. Dunks from Dressler and Pope in the waning minutes of the first half helped Chaminade build a 50-32 lead at the break.
Back-to-back buckets from Pope to start the second half gave the Silverswords their largest lead of 21 (55-34). But the Lancers didn't go away quietly as BYU-Hawai'i transfer Cory Lange scored 11 points in an 18-8 run to help narrow the gap to 63-52 with 12 minutes left.
But Chaminade responded in kind with the help of Scheive's five points to up the lead back to 18 and the 'Swords never looked back.
CUH hit 52.2 percent of its shots from the floor while holding CBU to just 35.7, its lowest percentage of the season. Rebounds and assists were even at 43 and 14, respectively while Chaminade had six blocks to California Baptist's two. The 'Swords also held a decisive edge with 52 paint points to CBU's 30.
It was also the Lancers' final appearance at McCabe Gym. CBU departs to the Division I ranks next year.
The Silverswords are next in action Saturday as they host intercity rival Hawai'i Pacific University at McCabe Gym. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. with live streaming audio coverage on GoSwords.com.
