SAN DIEGO - Two of the top teams, and two of the hottest teams, in the Pacific West Conference matched up Thursday night (Feb. 12) in Golden Gym, and Hawaii Pacific was able to pull out a 68-64 victory over the Point Loma women's basketball team in the final minute.  
 
The Sea Lions (14-10, 12-5 PacWest) entered the contest winning 10 of their last 11, while HPU (19-4, 14-2 PacWest) sat in first place in the PacWest having won 14 of 16 conference contests.
 
Jessica Escorza scored a season-high 28 points in 10-of-18 shooting, and also added eight rebounds. Roya Rustamzada just missed her third straight double-double with 12 points and a team-leading nine rebounds. She also added three assists and three blocks.
 
Veanne Navarro paced four Sharks in double-figures with 23 points. Morganne Comstock and Chenise Peone each posted double-doubles for HPU. Comstock had 19 points and a game-high 15 rebounds, while Peone registered 12 points and 12 boards.
 
PLNU trailed 38-34 at the half, and fell behind by 10 (51-41) early in the second half after HPU scored eight straight points. PLNU answered with a 12-1 run to take its first lead of the game at the 9:47 mark in the second half (53-52). The teams then traded baskets over the next six minutes until HPU went up 63-58 with 3:17 left.
 
Escorza answered with consecutive layups to cut the lead to one (63-62). The teams again traded baskets and PLNU found itself down 65-64 with 25 seconds left. Point Loma pushed the ball and found Madison West in the corner but her shot hit rim and HPU collected the rebound and knocked down some free throws to seal the game.  
 
"We worked hard, played smarter and started to move the ball better (during the comeback)," said PLNU head coach Bill Westphal. "Jessica Escorza was great tonight, but we didn't get enough production from the rest of the team, and that can make it tough when you are a one-man team."
 
PLNU missed its chance to clinch a spot in the PacWest Conference postseason tournament with a win. HPU has clinched one of the six spots with the victory.
 
"We want to get into the conference tournament and play them again," said Westphal.
 
PLNU will close out its four-game homestand on Saturday, Feb. 14 against BYU-Hawaii. The Seasiders are currently in fifth place in the PacWest with a 9-6 record (12-9 overall).

"Three games in five days are brutal," Westphal explained, "but we will be ready. It is nice to be at home."