Box Score HONOLULU, HAWAII – The Western New Mexico University men's basketball team concluded their three-game series in Hawaii Friday night falling to Hawaii Pacific, 72-65.


Lucio Luttrell (Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces High School) opened up the game and what would be a start to a strong night, as his layup 17 seconds in broke the seal for a 2-0 lead. That would be his first two points of a game high 25 on the night.


The Sea Warriors (2-3) answered back with an 8-0 run to open up a 8-2 lead three minutes in.


WNMU (0-3) came back with their own run, as triggered by a three by Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School), Luttrell canned a three of his own to then tie the game at eight, while he was also fouled on his three-pointer, which he followed by making the foul shot for a 9-8 lead at the 16:34 mark.


The teams would trade leads over the next few minutes before HPU caught fire, as a 8-0 run broke open a 14-all tie for a 22-14 lead with eight minutes to play before halftime.


The lead would reach 10 a few minutes later before the Mustangs came back to tally the next five points, with Luttrell posting a layup, followed by a three-point-play from TJ Riley (Tyler, TX/Chapel Hill High School) to make it a 26-21 game with just under three to play.


Luttrell would get WNMU within two at the 1:44 mark on another layup, but HPU nailed a three-pointer on their next trip down the floor to take a 31-26 lead into the locker room.


WNMU opened the second half connecting on a pair of three-pointers, one by Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) and the other by Luttrell around a basket by the Sea Warriors to pull WNMU within one, 33-32, two minutes in.


The lead would balloon back to seven for HPU over the next few minutes, with the last coming at the 13:40 mark which began another WNMU rally.


Luttrell started the comeback with a jumper, which he followed with a trey to make it a two-point game, 41-39.


After HPU split a pair from the free throw line, Luttrell hit two free throws and capped that off with another jumper to put WNMU in front by one, 43-42, with 9:54 to play.


The teams would trade the lead and a couple of ties before the fourth tie occurred at the 4:07 mark at 57-all and unleashed a HPU run.


The Sea Warriors raced the lead out to eight, including one last time with 27 seconds left before holding on for a 72-65 victory.


Luttrell's 25 points by far led all scorers, with the next closest coming from Carter's 17. Luttrell connected on 9-of-13 from the field, including 4-of-5 from three-point land. He also added five rebounds.


Carter posted his 17 points on 6-of-15 shooting, including a 4-of-7 effort from beyond the arc. Riley was also in double-figures with 12 points, including five steals.


The Sea Warriors enjoyed a big advantage at the foul line, making 17-of-24, to just 6-of-10 for the Mustangs.


WNMU will return to action this coming Friday when they will open Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play at Regis with tipoff set for 5 p.m.