Warriors come close, but can’t get win at Nevada
The Hawaii basketball team came tantalizingly close, but remained winless in Reno, Nev., after a 77-74 loss to Nevada on Saturday night at the Lawlor Events Center.
The Warriors had a seven-point lead with less than five minutes remaining in the game, but the Wolf Pack closed the game with a 14-4 run.
Nevada improved to 14-3 overall with its 11th consecutive victory. The Wolf Pack also remained in first place in the Western Athletic Conference at 4-0.
Hawaii dropped to 10-7 overall and 2-1 in the WAC. The Warriors are now 0-15 all-time against Nevada in games played at Reno.
Vander Joaquim led the Warriors with 22 points, seven rebounds and seven blocked shots. Joston Thomas added 21 points, and Zane Johnson scored 11.
Nevada took a 77-74 lead with 10.5 seconds remaining after Malik Story converted two free throws. Zane Johnson then missed an off-balance 3-point attempt on Hawaii’s final possession.
Deonte Burton led the Wolf Pack with 25 points, including 20 in the crucial second half. Olek Czyz added 24 points and 11 rebounds.
The lead changed 10 times in the first half, and Nevada eventually took a 35-34 advantage into intermission. The Wolf Pack had a 35-30 lead, but the Warriors scored the final four points of the half, including a putback layin by Trevor Wiseman just before the horn sounded.
Hawaii opened the second half with a 12-6 surge to take a 46-41 lead with 16:28 remaining.
The Wolf Pack cut it to 55-54 with 10:26 remaining, but the Warriors then went on a 10-4 run to increase the lead to 65-58 with 6:00 left in the game.
Hawaii had a 70-63 lead with 4:49 remaining, but Nevada responded with a 10-0 run to re-take the lead at 73-70 with 2:07 left. Burton scored seven during the surge, including an off-balance 3-pointer that put the Wolf Pack ahead.
Nevada increased its lead to 75-71 before Zane Johnson drained a 3-pointer with 30 seconds remaining to get Hawaii within one, but that was as close as it would get.
The Warriors are scheduled to return to Honolulu on Sunday. They will host WAC games against Louisiana Tech on Thursday, and New Mexico State on Saturday.
Need to be clutch and play to win! They played not too lose in those last two minutes 🙁
Hope they learn from it, but it would have been nice to get a road win at Lawlor in probably the last trip there ever.
Hold your heads up warriors you played well! Brereton great defense in the first half they needed you more in the second half. Young coaching, young team.
As Long as They Learn from this one … Up SEVEN Points with four minutes to play is only four shut down execution minutes away from achieving something no other UH BB Team has been able to so far …
Just like Auburn … we let a close one slip away — but also played well enough to be in position, even in The Lead to Win …
With UNLV they never quite got to the Lead …
My Thinking is that These Last Three “Losses” are Still Strong Continuing Indicators of Improvement and maybe Rapid Improvement …
With Nevada, the Hawai’i Gets One or Two Opportunities to Prove they’re improving … i don’t think we’ve had a team (at least not in a long time) where i can see Hawai’i in Position to WIN ALL the Remaining Conference Road Games … they are displaying that much strength and consistency … tonight maybe 36 of the best minutes against a Very Hot Team …
Nevada’s Starting Five — it reminded me of Riley ball, where their second five had such a Huge Drop-Off — are probably playing at or near their peak — That Starting Five has now played together for Two Seasons …
i Bet Hawai’i’s Top Ten (or more) Players improve A Lot More And A Lot Faster than Nevada’s Five-Plus …
Keep On Warriors !
Aw, man…….too bad we couldn’t leave this road trip with 2 great wins. But, UH played them tough tonite.
Coach Gib was really disappointed, felt Hawai’i gave the game away…
Even IF we won there would be much more room for improvement …
Some Thoughts in a One-Possession (Three-Point) Final :
– as a player, i always thought one-shot losses were both the toughest — even though there’s no question your team is “in the game”; the flip side is Every Player Knows he could have done at least one or two things better — and maybe Win … we always used this as motivation toward ‘perfection’ or just being that much better every day in practice…
– One or Two Less Turnovers: UH 15 UNR 12
– Hit & Earn More Free-Throws: UH 12-17 71%, UNR 18-22 81%)
– Hit that Three to Tie or Win: UH 4-13, 31%, UNR 5-14, 36%
– Get that Offensive or Defensive Rebound: UH 32, UNR 35
Awesome Wins on:
– Blocks 9! to 5 and
– Assists 20 to 10 and
– Slight edge on overall shooting 50 to 46% (Both Teams are in Top Three WAC in Defensive Field Goal Percentage, UH # 1)
That’s Likely “The List” above of what the team will be working on ….
i almost (now) wish the La Tech and New Mexico State games this week Thursday and Saturday were at their places, i think the team is playing that well … But We Better Prove we can beat ’em here And learn enough to repeat later at their place …
Guys played super hard. Oh so close to a sweep. However, split on the road , hold serve (win all)at home..can challenge for top seed or title..
Most other teams , upper half of Wac seem to have the athletes, but UH warriors are becoming a very good TEAM., imagine..keep on improving, …Mid to late March or beyond can be playing!
Great job Gib and Team.
.P.S. Gib gotta keep your guys, like Vander..temper in check..would be terrible to lose, because of technical or ejection..otherwise, Vander and Joston, when given the ball down low…it is becoming money..now if perimeter comes around too,.,.you guys are in great shape.,.
Keep humble guys..listen to coaches..,.you have a lot fans ,,and have made much more new ones…
Defense, keep turnovers down, free throws, blocking out….you guys will win a good amount of games.,
Thanks for making UH men’s basketball exciting again!!!