Menlo's loss comes on the back of a pair of home losses last week that just as easily could have been momentum-building victories. The Oaks lost to No. 7 Fresno Pacific 69-67 and NCAA Div. II Notre Dame de Namur 70-69. Menlo battled back from late deficits and had a chance to tie or win each contest on the final possession. As luck would have it, the Oaks didn't even get such a chance in a game it seemed to have in hand entering the final 20 minutes of play.

Menlo used a pair of first-half runs to extend its slim margin into the territory of comfort. Its initial burst came when it led 17-15 just past the midway point of the half. Point guard Drew Davis canned a 3-pointer from a Julian Harris assist with nine minutes, 32 seconds remaining before Harris sunk a long-range effort of his own just seconds later. Davis drained another 3-pointer within moments as the Oaks extended their advantage to 26-15 with a flurry of 3-pointers that took all of 45 seconds.

Just more than two minutes later Menlo got offensive again. The Oaks led 28-22 when Dejon Grant scored with six minutes, 13 second to go in the half. Holy Names' Zac Sewitsky was called for an offensive foul on the ensuing possession, then was given a technical foul in its aftermath. Harris and Nick McCullar each made two free throws to push Menlo's lead back to double digits.

McCullar scored off a Hawks turnover and Grant scored again to increase the Oaks cushion to 38-22, their largest of the night. Menlo still led 43-31 at halftime and maintained a 12-point advantage two and a half minutes into the second half.

Holy Names whittled Menlo's lead down to single figures in a hurry, though the Oaks kept their nose in front. McCullar and Andrew Young scored inside on back-to-back possessions, pushing Menlo's lead to three each time. Grant struck from behind the 3-point arc that the Hawks' David Scott answered, but Young scored again for a 58-53 Menlo lead with nine minutes, 33 seconds left.

Menlo did eventually lose its lead, however, as Joshua Smith gave Holy Names their second lead of the game at 62-60 with just less than six minutes to go. On the Hawks following possession, Scott scored a second-chance basket after the Oaks attempted and missed two shots of their own. From that point the Oaks had only one possession with a chance to draw even, but Harris missed a jumper with Holy Names ahead 64-62 with one minutes, 31 seconds on the clock.

McCullar paced the Oaks with 12 points and four rebounds while Young had 11 points, six rebounds. Harris scored 10 points with three assists and as many rebounds. Grant and Davis netted nine and eight points, respectively.

Scott's 17 points and nine rebounds proved too much for Menlo to overcome. Smith added 14 points and Johnas Street 13.