SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — The Dominican University of California men's basketball team scored the most points of any PacWest team this week as the Penguins opened PacWest play with a 102-92 win over Fresno Pacific in the Conlan Center on Saturday.

Senior Matt Hayes also made history in the first half. He entered the night needing only 11 points to reach the 1,000-point mark for his career. He had 13 by the first half, and along with fellow senior Christopher Schwartz-Edmisten, finished the night with a game-high 25 points. Hayes' 1,00th point came fittingly on a three-ball in the right corner off of a fantastic pass from Ryo Tawatari that gave the Penguins (5-2/1-0 PacWest) a 52-42 halftime lead. Hayes had six three-pointers and also pulled down a game-high nine rebounds. Both Hayes and Tawatari dished out five assists.

It was an exceptional shooting night by Hayes (9-of-14, 64.3 percent) and Schwartz-Edmisten, who was 9-of-15 (60.0 percent) and 4-of-5 (80.0 percent) from deep. But it was also an exceptional shooting night for the Penguins as a whole. They shot 59.6 percent (34-of-57) from the field and even better from deep at 61.5 percent (16-of-26). Combined with great ball movement against FPU's zone defense and 21 assists as a team, the Penguins led for 37 minutes and the entire second half.

After trailing FPU (3-2/0-1 PacWest) 10-9, the Penguins went on a 8-0 run that spanned two minutes. That gave Dominican a 17-10 lead and a Schwartz-Edmisten three-pointer made it a ten-point ballgame, 31-21, just a quarter into the night. The first half lead grew to as much as 12 on a Schwartz-Edmisten and-one. Josh Ramirez fired up the Conlan Center crowd with a fast break dunk from Hayes, who made the next basket to push the lead to 15, 60-45, with 16:40 to play. Six consecutive points from Reverend Maduakor and a Schwartz-Edmisten three-pointer made it a 20-point ballgame. However, five Dominican fouls allowed the Sunbirds to trim the lead to 11 with just over eight minutes to play.

FPU cut the lead to six, 84-78, with 5:56 to go and Tawatari answered with a floater that quelled the threat. Then Schwartz-Edmisten buried another three on the next trip down to push the lead back to double digits. The Sunbirds would get no closer than seven in the final two minutes.

Four Penguins starters reached double digits, led by Hayes and Schwartz-Edmisten. Ramirez added 14 points and Seth Turner added 13 despite early foul trouble. Tawatari nearly came close and finished with nine on 7-of-8 free throw shooting. Karl Ohrner came off the bench with eight points and four rebounds before fouling out.

Fresno Pacific had four players in double digits. Roger Paul came off the bench for 21 points on 11-of-12 shooting form the free throw line. Andreas Bigum scored 16, Gabe Solarin added 15, and Spencer Krannitz scored 14.

Dominican will now head to Northwest Nazarene on Saturday, Dec. 12 for a 2 p.m. non-conerence contest. After that, the Penguins return to the Bay Area for PacWest action versus Academy of Art on Thursday, Dec. 17 at historic Kezar Pavilion.