Warriors stun Titans at buzzer, 90-88
Garrett Jefferson dropped in a running 12-foot floater as time expired tonight to lift Hawai’i to a 90-88 victory over Cal State Fullerton in thrilling Big West Conference men’s basketbal action.
A electrified crowd of about 4,200 watched UH improve to 8-5 overall and 2-0 in the Big West. The Titans fell to 7-6, 1-1.
Isaac Fotu scored a game-high 29 points and Brandon Spearman and Christian Standhardinger each added 15 points for the Warriors. Standhardinger’s 3-pointer with 38 seconds remaining gave UH an 85-84 lead, its first since the opening moments of the second half. Manroop Clair later sank two free throws to make it 88-85 with 17 ticks left, but D.J. Seeley’s 3-pointer dropped in with 4.9 seconds to tie it again at 88-88.
Jefferson then went coast-to-coast and swished the game-winner at the buzzer.
Cal State Fullerton used a 15-6 run early in the second half to stretch a 54-53 lead into a 69-59 advantage, and Kwame Vaughn’s 3-pointer later put the Titans ahead, 80-69, with 5:26 remaining.
A roller coaster first half ended tied at 40-40. Cal State Fullerton sprinted to an 11-2 run that put the Titans ahead, 35-26, after Seeley’s steal and slam dunk with 3:25 remaining. But jace Tavita hit a 3-pointer to start Hawai’i on a 9-0 spurt that tied it at 35 after a slam dunk by Fotu.
Fotu scored almost at will, with 20 points on 10-of-12 shooting in the first 20 minutes, many coming on slam dunks off assists to the weak side. But the Warriors also committed 11 turnovers, many of them converted into Titan fast break baskets. Seeley, a 6-foot-4 senior guard, hit 4 of 7 from beyond the arc and finished with 16 points and five rebounds in the first half.
Joaquim had no points but grabbed seven rebounds by halftime.
More details, including video highlights and interviews, will be posted later.
UHfanzonly,
TEAM WIN BABY!!!
just like you always say, team effort for the WIN!
Nice win. Bigs beat smalls. Smaller crowd, we came alive help team to have energy to finish off Fullerton. Credit to one through twelve. Fotu, huge game, I guess this is how it will be, Hawaii play Big, and gut , tough out wins here and on road. UH go get Riverside now. Very nice victory gang.
very irritating and frustrating watching our guards dribbling and not coming to the ball when the ball is passed….i seen vander get mad when he got the defensive rebound and the pg didnt come get it but wanted him to pass it about 20 feet…good effort but lucky win
Great shot by Garrett Jefferson at the buzzer. I thought his defense was also key towards the end. Brandon Jawato and Manroop made some clutch shots as well.
The team had trouble with CS Fullerton’s pressure defense, but still found ways to score. Overall, great win. I was impressed with the Titan. They are a legit team.
I’ll say this again, it was a TEAM win, everyone played their part for the WIN. CSFU guards are very good anticipating passes and picking the guards handles apart for the steal.
Vander played like he supposed to, that’s why Fotu had a lot of dunks! Good job Vander, you see the light, right?
Great game by Fotu! Great win! Great Shot by Garrett! Our guards need help taking care of the ball. It’s about time we get them some help and set some plays to help them bring up the ball and/or start the offense. Also, free throws!!!! Otherwise a great win… lucky win… a great steal of a game!
GO BOWS!
yeah, at the end we saw Stanhardinger setting picks for the ballhandlers bringing the ball up the court.
Amazing how a flurry of shooting can make up for playing horrible defense all game long.
don’t know if the d was that bad. The turnovers committed by UH was terribly bad to say the least!
Whew, what a finish. Good comeback win. What a clutch shot by Jefferson. Fotu was great. But, gotta cut down on the turnovers. Win is a win, but cannot keep getting cardiac wins, especially on the road.
Go Warriors!
Win is a win,what a finish,heart attack , Gib will age 10 years this season I kid you not ! the guys never gave up, that’s why I love the Warriors , March Madness brothers !
GarrettJefferson was outstanding tonight – he shut number 5 down completely and then went hard and fast to the basket to win the game.
Isaac Fotu was also outstanding and a pleasure to watch.
I also thought the crowd were outstanding!!!!!!
It is soooo exciting being at the games – thanks to all the warriors – I just hope my heart holds out for Saturday night.
can’t wait for the video!
Love having Aussie Mum (and Dad) at the games. My brother needs those shoulder grabs to wake him up!
i was like not again when they start pulling away with a 10 lead
And to Isaac: “Malolelei!”
EARN (WINS) While You Learn…
Hawai’i was (IS) A Better Team at the End of this game than at the Beginning
Probably HALF of Tonight’s Turnovers Are Preventable …
WE were Allowing CSUF to Cut Off Passes, Beat Us to Passes, Pick Off Lazy Passes
Even Cut Off Dribbling, Pull Off ‘Easy’ Steals and Jams
AND Amazingly, Hawai’i Still Finds a Way to Steal Back a WIN!
THAT Was the Ugliest of Passing, Ball-Handling, Hawking and Stealing Lessons
U.H. Passing and Ball-Handling? OUR Guards — Freshmen thru Juniors & Seniors Got “Schooled”
By Probably The Best Back-Court in Our League…
BUT Here’s The Opportunity to Improve … CLOSE THAT GAP
Work Gib Drills, Study Video, DON’T Fall for Same Tricks & Traps Next Time
IMPROVE 10 – 20 Points, ‘cos that’s what it’s likely gonna take to have ‘just a chance’ to also Steal One at their place…
BUT Definitely Take Another on The BW Tourney Neutral Court … Our Young Team gets Three (Not-So-Free) Great Lessons against CSUF’s Veteran Senior Heavy Superb Backcourt ….
FOR SURE they’ll have even more tricks and traps Next Time …
BUT Close that Back-Court Gap and We CAN Widen the Overall Advantage
Our Young Guards Can Improve Faster than CSUF Can Grow Taller!
Taking Two or Three from these guys would be A Nice Plum!
Let Me ADD that Stealing This Victory when Trailing Late (By 11!) IS Fortunate, probably even “Lucky”
BUT That “Luck” is The “Classic” Skill and Hard Work Seizing The Opportunity
Just from my Own Playing Experience, having been fortunate enough to play with a lot of very good players (NOT As Good as This YOUNG Hawai’i Team), What You Saw (Again) Tonight is Pretty Special…
THREE Straight Games, with Excellent Runs against good teams (19-2 vs Mississippi, 18-0 vs. Northridge, 11 pt comeback late vs CSUF) …The Warriors have Flashed High Levels of Critical Time ‘Near-Dominance’; at very least the ability to Display Much Skill in Sustained Runs…Those Four (“Lucky” OR Highly Practiced?) Key Shots — The Threes in Succession by Jawato, Clair and Standhardinger AND The Game-Winner by Jefferson ARE Shots they make just bout ‘every day’ in practice… IT Takes a High Level of Ice-Water in Veins Guts and Confidence to TAKE Those Shots with the Game on the Line And Even More to Dagger-Like Make ALL of Them…
HOW MUCH Can All Four and The Whole Team Improve ?
Great game, warrior like effort tonight. My neigbour might have wondered why all the cheer went up when Garret hit the winning basket!!! Can’t wait for the next game…….
What a game! Basically lost my voice cheering so loud! I enjoyed sitting with Aussie Mum and Dad! Looking forward to Saturday!