FRESNO (Interstat) — Asia Darcuiel scored 25 points and Concordia (Cal.) used a decisive third-quarter run to beat Fresno Pacific 70-62 in a women’s NCAA Division II basketball game Monday at Special Events Center. Darcuiel, a 5-foot-8 guard from Chula Vista, Calif., played 31 minutes and added two rebounds and one block for the Eagles. Sienna Evans paced Fresno Pacific with 28 points and seven rebounds in 30 minutes for the Sunbirds. Attendance was announced as 462. Concordia improved to 1-0, while Fresno Pacific dropped to 0-1. It was the season opener for both teams.

Fresno Pacific started quickly, getting a layup from Trinity Tolbert and another from Alexa Perryman before Sienna Evans made two free throws for a 6-0 lead. Concordia answered with consecutive jumpers from Darcuiel, and the teams traded baskets through the opening quarter. Milly Rojas made a 3-pointer and Genesis Hopkins scored inside late in the first to keep Concordia close. Fresno Pacific held a 16-15 edge after one quarter.

In the second quarter, Darcuiel made a 3-pointer and two free throws, Myia Collins added a jump shot, and Hopkins made two free throws as Concordia moved ahead. Fresno Pacific responded with Tolbert’s three-point play and Evans’s tying layup. Emmi Almeida then made a jump shot with 20.9 seconds left in the half to tie the game at 30.

The most important stretch came after that tie. Concordia opened the third quarter with a 13-1 run. Collins scored inside, Darcuiel made two free throws and a 3-pointer, and Izzy Om added a jumper to push the Eagles to a 43-31 lead. Concordia’s largest lead in the third quarter was 12 points at 43-31. Fresno Pacific answered behind Evans, who scored layups and converted a free throw as the Sunbirds cut the margin to 48-43. Concordia steadied itself late in the third and carried a 54-48 lead into the fourth.

In the fourth, Rojas made a 3-pointer to extend Concordia’s lead to 60-50. Fresno Pacific again rallied when Evans made a 3-pointer and later added free throws to bring the Sunbirds within 63-59. Om answered with a layup, and Concordia sealed the win at the free-throw line, getting late free throws from Rojas, Hopkins and Om. Darcuiel also made a layup during the final minutes to help hold off Fresno Pacific. Wilmurt made two free throws for Fresno Pacific with 10.6 seconds remaining, and Om closed the scoring with free throws.

Darcuiel finished with 25 points, two rebounds and one block. Collins had 10 points and six rebounds in 34 minutes. Hopkins added eight points, eight rebounds and one assist in 26 minutes. Rojas scored 11 points and grabbed three rebounds in 17 minutes, while Om had eight points and one rebound in 32 minutes. For Fresno Pacific, Tolbert scored 12 points in 20 minutes, Perryman had nine points and one rebound in 20 minutes, Almeida finished with four points and 11 rebounds in 34 minutes, and Kira Wilmurt added three points and four rebounds in 25 minutes.

Concordia shot 24 of 64 from the floor, 5 of 20 from three-point range and 17 of 23 from the free-throw line. Fresno Pacific shot 22 of 65 overall, 1 of 23 from beyond the arc and 17 of 25 from the line. Concordia had nine offensive rebounds to Fresno Pacific’s 10, recorded three assists to Fresno Pacific’s nine and committed 14 turnovers to Fresno Pacific’s seven. Concordia scored 70 points from 80 possessions, and Fresno Pacific scored 62 points from 74 possessions.

The game was played at Special Events Center in Fresno. Interstat’s game simulator had projected Concordia (Cal.) 69, Fresno Pacific 60. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Fresno Pacific with a 56.4 percent probability to win.