SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — Dominican University of California (4-12, 3-7 PacWest) hung tight with PacWest-leading and No. 19 Hawaii Pacific (16-1, 8-1 PacWest) for much of Saturday night's game, but the Penguins ultimately fell 82-62.
 
It was a tightly-contested first half as neither team's lead stretched beyond seven points until the final four minutes. DUC opened the game with a 4-0 run, but both sides found themselves tied three times over the next 10 minutes. Efficient offense was also at play as the Penguins ended the half shooting at a .414 clip and were at 50 percent through the first 12 minutes. Meanwhile, HPU was able to extend their lead to nine points, leading 41-32 at the end of the period. Jeremiah Gray was Domincan's spark plug in the opening period, scoring 15 points including three from beyond the 3-point arc.
 
In the second half, the Sharks made it a 13-point affair before a 6-point run from the Penguins cut their lead to seven. DUC would trim the deficit to as little as five points before HPU regained control. Hawaii Pacific's response was a 12-2 run, creating a 62-45 score in favor of the visitors from the Aloha State. The Sharks would continue to add on, coming away with a 20-point victory.
 
Three Dominican players ended the game scoring in double-digit figures. Gray led both sides with 18 points, including going 4-for-9 from 3-point land and has now scored more than 10 points in four of his last five games and six of his last eight. Josh Armstrong landed six of nine shots for 12 points on the night and Josh Ramirez scored 10 while tying a team-high with five rebounds.
 
The Penguins will now head to San Francisco for a rematch with the Urban Knights on Thursday, January 19. DUC suffered their first-ever home loss to ART U on January 7 by a score of 79-71.