Warriors hold off Cal State Fullerton, 81-77
Isaac Fotu scored 18 points and Christian Standhardinger added 17 points and 15 rebounds tonight to help the University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team hold off visiting Cal State Fullerton, 81-77, in the teams’ Big West Conference regular season finale.
A pumped-up “White-Out” Senior Night crowd of about 9,500 at the Stan Sheriff Center watched Garrett Nevels and Keith Shamburger each add 14 points and Brandon Spearman contribute 13 points as the Rainbow Warriors improved to 20-10 overall and finished the Big West regular season in fourth place at 9-7. The Titans fell to 11-19, 6-10.
UH will be the No. 4 seed in next week’s Big West Tournament in Anaheim, Calif., beginning with Thursday’s quarterfinals against No. 5 seed Cal State Northridge.
Standhardinger’s two free throws with 4:01 remaining put the Rainbow Warriors ahead for good at 66-65, after the Titans’ Alex Harris drained a rainbow 3-pointer to put Fullerton up, 65-64, with 4:35 left.
Hawai’i opened the lead to 74-67 after Shamburger’s two free throws with 1:18 remaining, but the Titans later closed it to 75-72 on Josh Gentry’s 3-pointer with 43.8 seconds left after two long offensive rebounds, then Michael Williams drained another 3-pointer with 16.8 seconds remaining to cut it to 78-77.
Shamburger sank the first of two free throws to make it 79-77 with 14.9 seconds showing, but he missed the second and Cal State Fullerton grabbed the rebound. Williams, however, then inexplicably launched a Hail Mary shot from just past halfcourt with about 10 seconds still remaining. It missed badly and a held-ball after the scramble for the rebound gave the Rainbow Warriors possession.
Shamburger was quickly fouled again with 4.1 seconds showing and sank two free throws to make it 81-77, and the Titans could only manage a short miss at the buzzer. Shamburger scored all of his points from the free-throw line, going 14 for 16 on the night.
Standhardinger’s 3-pointer from the top of the key broke a 30-30 tie with 6:40 remaining in the first half, and he followed it with a three-point play with Nevels adding a short drop shot to make it 38-30 with 3:38 left. After Cal State Fullerton closed it to 40-35 on Gentry’s 3-pointer with 1:27 remaining, Nevels drained a 3-pointer and Standhardinger added a free throw to put Hawai’i ahead, 44-35, at halftime.
More details, including video highlights and interviews, will be posted later.
Great win. 20th for regular season Gib era. Milestone. To win BWC tournament would be historic for Gib in four year career!
Mahalo to fantastic 3 seniors, best wishes on future careers!
Go Bows!
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Hey the starting 5 are very tired. They need rest legs, sleep, then get ready for BWC tourney run. Actually focus on getting win against Northridge that is all, Just focus on beating a very good Northridge team!
Go Bows!!
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Going to need D stops, O rebounds, 3 point shots, assists, and steals from Q,Davis, Enos, Thomas, Valdes. UH going to need bench to increase or maintain leads when come in. Whole team going to win first game with great defense and timely shooting.
Then next game, better defense, better shooting. Finally if make it to Championship game, all 13 guys on active roster, however used, ONE OHANA to go to NCAA’s.
ONE GAME< ONE WIN AT A TIME; Get sleep , rest, poke bowl, see a movie, go to beach, relax, than get back to work on lite practice on Monday!
It is going to be tough. however, this is what all of you were working so hard from last summer, throught fall beach workouts, and till BWC tourney for. Just a shot to win and advance, …Give 100%, and play man defense with help rotation, against those, quick perimeter teams. UH plays some nasty man to man defense when they want to. Have to mix and match. Teams, break UH's press pretty easily now. have to mix it up, base man to man if can. And Keith Spearman, Nevels, Fotu, Standhardinger, referees, looks like they are going to call games well, so , make sure to hit your FT's
Relax, rehab, rest, hydrate, nutrition, take a walk, …then get to work to get the Prize! in Anaheim.
Go Bows!!
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Was that the Schmidt Ohana with Davis with lei for photo shots? Great looking family, and thanks for your support. I really believe, Gib has program going upward. Season still not over, give us your on hand report from Anaheim! Hope the boys can get some wins, maybe 3!
Such great personalities, everyone not perfect, like family of brothers, however, with Brandon, Davis, and Christian, leading, team stays together. Really like this team, best in Gib’s four years. and season hopefully will continue for 4 more games!
Go Rainbow Warriors!
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Finding Ways to WIN…
That’s What Winners Do..
Congratulations on 20!
Get Several More @ Anaheim
Greatness awaits @ 23 or 24-Plus
Mahalo, Seniors
Really the Whole Team for an Entertaining Season
Now Go Hit Some More Standards, Benchmarks
Mahalo to Families for Sharing Your High Character Sons
Even @ Santa Barbara, The Whole Nation Could see their Protection of The Coach
While Preventing Any of Many Worse Scenarios
AND for Making the Trips WAY Out Here…
Dayton & Co., Schmidts, Family and Team Posters
REST & RE-Charge!
Then Cap it All Off, ‘BOWS!
By Ruling Anaheim!
The Best is Yet Ahead!
so sad seeing spearman and standhardinger with tears in their eyes after the game. i wish all three seniors the very best!