HONOLULU, Hawaii (December 21, 2024) -  The Hoops in Hawaii Classic tipped off today at Hawaii Pacific University, where the University of Puget Sound faced Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) member Occidental. In a closely contested game, the Loggers fell to the Tigers in the final seconds.

Autumn Hill and Mele Sake led the Loggers in rebounds, collecting eight and six, respectively, as the team fought to regain momentum after trailing by 11 points.

The comeback effort was driven by key contributions across the roster. Addison Reardon sank two three-pointers, helping the Loggers climb the scoreboard. Claire Thompson scored on a fast break, and Sarah Skaggs added two points. Ayana Peterson-Henry and Natalia Sefair-Lopez then contributed to bring the game to a 48-48 tie. With 25 seconds remaining, Occidental pulled ahead by two points. Paige Oh answered with a layup, bringing the Loggers back within reach as the final timeout was called. However, the Tigers secured the win with a jumper with two seconds on the clock.

The young Logger squad faces a quick turnaround, preparing to take on Centre College tomorrow at 1:15 p.m. local time (3:15 p.m. Pacific Time).