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Warriors hold off Northridge, 74-71

Christian3CSUN

Christian Standhardinger scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds and Isaac Fotu added 16 points and 11 boards tonight as Hawai’i held off Cal State Northridge, 74-71, in a thrilling Big West Conference season opener for both teams.

A high-volume crowd of about 5,000 at the Stan Sheriff Center watched the Warriors improve to 7-5 overall in their first Big West game ever; the Matadors fell to 9-4.

Vander Joaquim added 12 points and 11 rebounds and Brandon Jawato contributed 12 points — including 3 of 5 shooting from 3-point range — for Hawai’i.

Stephan Hicks scored 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Northridge.

CSUN jumped out to a 13-2 lead and was up, 25-17, after Allan Guei’s layup with 9:13 remaining in the first half. But UH responded with a stunning 18-0 run fueled by fast breaks that got the fans into a frenzy. Hicks finally broke the string with a pair of free throws with 5:13 left, but the Warriors maintained the lead and went into the break ahead, 44-33.

Hicks sparked an 11-2 run early in the second half that gave the Matadors the lead again at 56-54, and his baseline jumper with 7:02 remaining made it 61-56. Standhardinger then capped an 8-2 spurt by Hawai’i with a reverse layup that put the Warriors back in front, 64-63, with 4:12 left.

Joaquim’s free throw with 1:06 remaining gave UH the lead for good at 70-69, but things stayed tight until the final seconds, when Hauns Brereton sank two free throws with 0:09.7 showing on the clock to make it 74-71. Landon Drew’s 23-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer did not draw iron.

More details, including video highlights and interviews, will be posted later.

12 Comments

  1. why would gib start tavita and hauns…we should dominate most if not all big west teams but the way we play sometimes it’s a shame

  2. Christian needs to hit his free throws..he couldve had at least 10 points..dont understand why but Hawaii has struggled from the freethrow line since the Bob Nash era..and every year since…even our guards cant hit free throws…we make our freethrows, we win at least a couple games including Illinois

  3. Christian practice free throws. Clair and Jawato getting heavy minutes will help team. Bigs come out to help relieve pressure on PG will help. Big West, seems all guards , quicker, and can put pressure. Team has to tough it out. Free Throws,free throws and free throws.

    Otherwise, Hawaii is in first place or tied for at 1-0, good job!

  4. Whew, that was a close one. It wasn’t a pretty game trying to handle that type of pressure. The team is going to have to work on things quickly b/c Fullerton is coming into town with their pressure defense next Thursday.

    Still, the team was able to pull out a win. Northridge is not a bad team by any means. This game may serve as a learning opportunity to get prepared for Fullerton.

  5. Well, I was somewhat correct. I said I just had a feeling Hauns would come up big in this game. He didn’t exactly light it up, but he came up big with 2 big free throws (all net to boot) to stake the team to a 3 point lead which held up for a big win for the team. Considering how the team struggled
    to hit from the charity line, those 2 FT after Hauns came off the bench cold to calmly make them says volumes of his character and his self confidence. It should give him a boost as the team go forward. We have seen Hauns make big shots before. When he’s hot, he’s very hot. Yeah, he’s a streak shooter. Maybe he’ll get on a run. Hope so.

    Good win. I still don’t like Joaquim holding on to the ball too long. Arnold has to talk to him about that. He’s either got to make his mind to make a move or shoot the ball quickly or pass the ball to an open man, quickly. There is too much hesitation, ending in turning the ball over. It’s frustrating just watching him for 3 years now. If he wants to play on the next level, he has to learn to get rid of the ball pronto because the defense will collapse on him pronto too, then he’ll have no chance to recover.

  6. UHfanzonly1,

    I know you reading. Great game huh? Ugly buts it’s a WIN! Nice way to open the 1st Conference Game in the BW!

    next

  7. Gib has to create offense when team bringing up ball slower, no break opportunity. Have another guard go to space, and help Jace or Clair. Bigs, like what Isaac and sometimes Chrisitian were doing were good moves., a safety valve for PG to pass too. A lot of the guard issues are fixable, even watched Laura Beeman’s team break pressure quite effectively without too many turnovers. Haydel hit big FT’s.

    I guess this will be theme as we knew, going into Big Wes play, other teams, smaller, quicker, 3 point shooters, quick to get steals, and quick leapers to get some offensive and defensive key rebounds. UH’s Bigs have to play like they are, though Vander, make your move quicker, either shoot, pass, or up and under or over the top with jumper or baby hook. UH has very good bigs and a trio of very good and developing Freshman. That is my prediction, Fotu, Jawato and Clair will be first, second or honorable mention Freshman all Big West team. And one of those, maybe Fotu will be newcomer of the year.

    Free throws, Free throws, Free throws.. and wings, Bigs help Jace and Clair get out of traps in order to start offense. Looks like UH if can get these 3 very important Big West home games, and split on road in two weeks, will be off to good start. Now, team just has to practice. Love Rozitis’ energy and role acceptance. He along with Jefferson, Jawato, Clair, they are true basketball team players. Spearman will get his game too, he brings D and puts pressure , at least trying to go to rim.

    Good Win!

  8. SO Derek you want him to pass the ball “pronto” but are his team mates getting open ” pronto” ??

    Sure they look open when there’s two/three defenders on him but by then it’s harder for him to make that pass. A lot of the times I see team mates hand Vander the ball and then they just stand around.

    This game was all about free throws, whatever has gotten into Christian he needs to shake it off Pronto.

    Also time for Manroop to take the reins. Enough already.

  9. Yup ! Really Close, BUT Dug Deep Enough & Found enough to WIN —
    Will Take these Ugly Wins over those mostly good-looking Losses Any Day….

    Northridge relied heavilly on #3 Stephan Hicks (Pre-Season All Big West)…
    Fullerton Picked Higher AND more like Three Hicks-Class Players…

    Gib historically not as concerned witth Who Starts as Who Finishes and Who He Can Count on in Prime Time….
    So Jawato & Clair are IN During Prime Time… BUT Definitely share the concern that we CANNOT Keep Getting Away with slow starts — WILL Get Burned, especially on the road….

    These Last Two Games provided glimpses reminiscent of early pre-season Open Gym sessions — First Half Runs of 19-2 against Mississippi and 18-0 versus Northridge –“Flashes” of The Talent and Potential/Performances that we may be enjoying some (and hopefully more often) in the next couple of seasons…

    OHH…and Hey! Weʻre (Tied For) Number One!

    Way to Go Warriors! Christian will likely Never Shoot Free Throws THAT BAD Again.. TOO Good of a shooter….

    KEEP IMPROVING…and Faster …. NO Time to Lose — better to play from ahead
    KEEP WINNING!

  10. I think it’s time we stick to youth in the starting back court. They still got upside potential and could solve their ball handling by tournament time. We got two deep ball threats in Clair and Jawato and they seem to work well together with high energy. I’ve been saying all along that Clair is your point for this team. He brings a little more to the table than Tavita.

    Spearman is also valuable but like Brereton can be streaky. Brereton’s value is in the closing moments of the game where he is deadly at the free throw line. Also I think Hauns needs to find ways to get to the free throw line. That means more driving, especially when his man body’s up too close to take away his outside shooting. Karl Malone got almost half his points from the free throw line.

    I think Vander’s game is more suited to the NBA style of play. There they hold onto the ball a lot longer than in college. And usually the intensity is not so great like in college basketball and not so much double/triple teaming. But he does tend to hold the ball a tad too long.

  11. Good win for UH. The free throw shooting wasn’t good, but the team gave terrific effort and just about everyone who played contributed positively in some way. Major props to Hauns for coming off the bench and hitting the two free throws at the end, he showed great poise and confidence. Also Garret did a great job forcing a turnover on CSN’s prior possession to set up the opportunity.

  12. HawaiiFan09….why would you start Hauns…easy, because he is a senior and a great leader. Yes, he had a few bad games, but the kid is a worker and he always gets better as the season goes on. I have no doubt he will get hot again and will still have many 20 point nights. Are there more athletic kids on that court…sure, but they don’t bring the leadership skills that Hauns has. In all honestly they need to run more plays for him, as if he gets hot, he will score in bunches.

    I don’t disagree with you on Tavita….there are better options than him! (although he does have some good moments)

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