There would be no encore performance for UH-Hilo’s men’s basketball team.
Concordia’s Brian Chambers dished out a school-record 16 assists to go with 13 points to help lead the second-place Eagles to a 98-81 win over the Vulcans on Saturday night in Irvine, Calif.
Defeating the top two teams in the Pacific West Conference within 48 hours proved to be too tall a task for the Vulcans (11-11, 9-9 PacWest), who upset No. 8 Point Loma on Thursday night.
Larry Bush scored 26 points to lead the Vulcans, two nights after scoring 27 at Point Loma.
In a battle between two of the top defensive teams in the PacWest, offense had its way.
Concordia shot 61 percent from the field and the Vulcans converted 55 percent of their shots, but they couldn’t duplicate the pristine ball-control they showed in only turning the ball over four times against Point Loma, giving the ball away 24 times against the Eagles (19-8, 15-3), who owned a 35-18 rebounding advantage to overcome 23 turnovers.
UHH is a game ahead of Academy of Art for the sixth and final spot in the PacWest tournament. The Urban Knights (8-10) host Holy Names (11-8) on Sunday, while the Vuls continue their road trip Tuesday at Biola.
Bush and Denhym Brooke hit shots right after halftime to bring UHH to within 50-46 game, but Cameron English went to work inside, scoring eight points on four consecutive possessions to push Concordia’s lead back to 12 points.
Bush went 9 for 9 at the free throw line, James Griffin added 14 points, five rebounds and four assists and Kupaa Harrison had 11 points, five rebounds and four assists before fouling out. Brooke was also in doubles figures with 11 points.
• Concordia women 69, UHH 57: The Eagles distanced themselves with a 14-2 run to end the first half, officially ending the Vulcans’ postseason hopes.
Allie Navarette led the Vulcans (7-15, 4-14) with 26 points and 10 rebounds, her 13th double-double of the season and fifth straight. Patience Taylor collected 11 points and six rebounds and Mandi Kawaha added 10 points and five assists.
Michaela Vanderklugt led the Eagles with 20 points and nine rebounds and Jasmine Rachal added 19 points as Concordia (10-13, 9-9) completed the season-sweep of the Vulcans.
UHH hit hard in sweep
Hawaii Pacific battered Vulcans pitching for 33 runs and 35 hits, sweeping a doubleheader 18-11 and 15-8 in Waipahu, Oahu.
Kyle Alcorn (1-1), who shut down the Sharks (10-2) last weekend in Hilo, got roughed up for eight hits and seven earned runs in just 1 1/3 innings for UHH (2-5) in the first game.
In the second game, Christian Sadler (0-1) was staked to a 2-0 lead — Kobie Russell, John Bicos and Mana Manago each singled in the second and Jaryn Kanbara hit an RBI double — but he left after 4 2/3 innings (seven hits, three runs, one walk, four strikeouts) and the roof caved in on relievers Brandyn Lee-Lehano and Kekai Mahiko.
In the first game, Kanbara hit a three-run home run and finished with three hits, Kyle Yamada had an RBI double and run-scoring single among his three hits and Dylan Sugimoto was 3 for 4 with two doubles and four run scored.
Bicos had two hits in the second game, as did Mikey Rita, who ripped an RBI triple. Sugimoto also tripled in a run.
The teams play another nonconference doubleheader at 11 a.m. Sunday,
