(TUCSON, Ariz.) PLNU Men's Basketball played tough against Arizona in a season-opening exhibition game on Monday night, leading early in the first half and keeping it close at the break, before the Wildcats outpaced the Sea Lions in the second half to win by a 113-64 margin.
"I really thought we played to our level in the first half," Head Coach
Justin Downer said. "We tried to clean some things up in the second half, but it just got a little bit away from us."
Point Loma jumped out to an early 8-4 lead after back-to-back 3-pointers from
Coby Barnes and
Tyce Paulsen.
Arizona responded with a 14-0 run to go up by double digits before
Luke Smith's triple and
Luke Haupt's 3-point play got PLNU back to within four.
Haupt, making his long-awaited return to the court after missing last season because of injury, went coast-to-coast, corralling a rebound on one end and finishing through contact at the other.
The Wildcats then quickly extended their advantage up to 24 before the Sea Lions fought back to make it a 10-point game late in the first half.
"We just got out of character for two, two-minute runs in the first half," Downer said. "I thought we played them pretty straight up other than those two, two-minute runs. I really liked the way we moved the ball and executed what we were trying to get done in that first half."
Zackry Paulsen went on a personal 7-0 run, sinking a 3-pointer before being fouled on a 3-point attempt. Paulsen was ultimately awarded five consecutive foul shots, three for the shot and two more for a Wildcats' technical foul, and made four of those to cap off the best Sea Lions' scoring streak of the night.
Zackry Paulsen later drew a charge, which was rewarded when his younger brother Tyce hit a corner 3 to make it a 10-point contest.
"I thought our team's character and toughness shined through," Downer said. "That's who we are. It doesn't really matter who we're playing against. I thought that showed really well in that first half."
After Arizona went into the locker room up 14, the Wildcats started the second half on fire with a 10-0 scoring run before the Sea Lions settled back in, as Haupt drew a foul driving to the basket and Barnes sank a triple from the wing.
From there, PLNU couldn't get many shots to fall, as Arizona held Point Loma to just 19 points in the second half on 21.4% shooting and 15.8% (3-for-19) from 3-point range.
"A couple of those were a little quicker than usual but I'd rather our guys let it fly with confidence than wait for something later," Downer said. "They didn't fall for us tonight, but I really liked the fearlessness they demonstrated shooting the ball."
Zackry Paulsen led the Sea Lions with 15 points, while Haupt added 11. Barnes and Smith both chipped in with eight points apiece.
Point Loma flies back to San Diego on Tuesday before traveling to Lakeland, Florida later this week for the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic.
PLNU's official countable season-opener is on Saturday against Fort Lewis at 10:15 a.m. PT / 1:15 p.m. ET, followed by a game on Sunday versus Florida Southern at 2:45 p.m. PT / 5:45 p.m. ET.
POSTGAME INTERVIEW
