SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – The PacWest Championships defending champion Hawai`i Pacific advanced to the semifinals by taking out Concordia 65-58 on a 23-point performance by the program’s second all-time leading scorer Breanna Mackenzie on Thursday night in the Conlan Center.

BOX SCORE | HAWAI`I PACIFIC INTERVIEW | CONCORDIA INTERVIEW
 
The No. 3-seeded Sharks advance to a rematch from last year’s PacWest Championships semifinals, playing No. 2 seed Dominican. Hawai`i Pacific improved to 8-4 in program history in the PacWest Championships and 21-8 this season. The Eagles conclude the 2018-19 season with a 10-18 record after reaching the PacWest Tournament for the second time in a row.
 
Hawai`i Pacific led throughout the second half, but never pulled away from the No. 6 seed as Concordia held the Sharks to 40 percent mark from the field. Concordia pulled within five points with just over two and a half minutes left. On the next possession, Alysha Marcucci hit a 3-pointer to make the score 57-49, and the Sharks made their free throws down the stretch to hold off the Eagles.
 
Mackenzie led the Sharks’ offense with 23 points on a 10-for-18 performance from the field. Marcucci added 10 points and seven rebounds in the victory. In her first PacWest Tournament game, Amy Baum had 12 points, five rebounds and four steals of the team’s 12 steals.
 
Concordia was led by Michaela Vanderklugt, who had 19 points and nine rebounds. She played all 40 minutes despite getting into foul trouble. Jasmine Rachal went 6 for 13 from the field and had seven rebounds.
 
Hawai`i Pacific won last year’s meeting with Dominican in the PacWest Championships semifinals, but the Penguins won both meetings during the regular season this year. The Sharks are looking to make their fourth PacWest final in the seventh edition of the tournament.