HONOLULU – The normally offensive-minded Chaminade University men's basketball team showed defensive prowess Friday, surrendering their fewest points in two years.
The Silverswords downed Notre Dame de Namur 67-53 at McCabe Gym to end an eight-game home stand.
Austin Pope (Burbank, Calif./North Idaho College) was 6-for-7 from the floor and hit all three of his 3-point attempts for a game-high 20 points. The senior guard also had six rebounds for the Silverswords, who won their fourth straight in improving to 8-4 overall and 4-2 in the Pacific West Conference.
The 53 points is the fewest allowed by a Chaminade opponent since surrendering 42 to NAIA Viterbo in December 2015 and the least to an NCAA Division II squad since allowing just 45 to Grand Canyon in the 2013 PacWest Tournament semifinals.
Justin Bridges (Atlanta/Georgia Highlands) added 12 points while
Erik Scheive (Marysville, Calif./Yuba College) had 11 points and five rebounds for the 'Swords, who extended their winning streak against NDNU to seven.
Nicholas Anderson (Anaheim, Calif./Fullerton College) had six steals – one shy of the program record – and two blocks on the night. Anderson's thefts are the most by a 'Sword since Tyree Harrison also had six in February 2014 against Point Loma. The program's steals record is seven set during the 1996-97 season by Darnell Clavon and in 1983-84 by Patrick Langlois.
The win also gave Chaminade head coach
Eric Bovaird his 98
th career victory.
The Argonauts fell to 2-10 overall and 1-5 in the PacWest and were led by RJ Louis' 17 points.
NDNU held most of the lead for most of the first half. But an 8-0 run by the Silverswords with triples from
Grant Dressler (Las Vegas/Sacramento State) and Pope and a layup from Scheive turned a one-point deficit to a 28-21 lead with 1:27 left in the frame, helping the 'Swords to a 28-23 halftime edge.
Bridges scored five points in Chaminade's 7-0 run to open the second half that gave the royal blue and white its first double-digit lead (35-23) of the game.
The Argos battled back to cut their deficit to single digits on six different occasions but the 'Swords kept responding to push their lead back to double digits.
Brett Reed (Houston/Cabrillo College), who had team-high 12 rebounds, hit a traditional three-point play with 2:18 left to give them their largest lead of the game.
Both squads struggled from the field, 42.6 percent for Chaminade and 41.2 for NDNU. The 'Swords had the rebounding edge, 32-27, while the Argos had nine assists to Chaminade's six. The 'Swords had 11 steals and forced 18 NDNU giveaways.
The Silverswords will travel to the Mainland for the first time this season when they open a four-game road swing on Saturday, Jan. 13, in San Rafael, Calif, against Dominican University of California.
