Warriors stun Cal, 77-66, in NCAA First Round
SPOKANE, Wash. — Quincy Smith scored 19 points and grabbed three rebounds, Roderick Bobbitt added 17 points, seven boards and four assists, and Stefan Jankovic finished with 16 points and five rebounds today to help Hawai’i stun California, 77-66, for the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory ever.
The Rainbow Warriors, seeded No. 14 in the South Region, improved to a school record 28-5 and advanced to Sunday’s second-round game against the No. 5 seed Maryland, at a time still to be determined. Cal, the No. 4 seed, ends its season at 23-11.
Maryland (26-8) defeated South Dakota State, 79-74, in another first-round game.
UH is making its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2002; it had lost in all four previous first-round games.
Hawai’i opened up a 47-37 lead five minutes into the second half, but Jankovic also picked up his fourth foul and was sent to the bench by that point. Cal capitalized by responding with a 9-0 run culminating in Kameron Rooks’ three-point play with 11:56 remaining.
But the Rainbow Warriors weathered the storm, later using a 9-2 run to extend the lead to 64-53 on Mike Thomas’ 3-pointer from the top of the key.
Hawai’i led 36-30 at halftime, despite early foul trouble.
Bobbitt scored the game’s first basket on a runner from the left side, but Cal used an 8-2 run to lead 8-4 after point guard Sam Singer’s layup with 15:50 remaining in the half. The Rainbow Warriors took the lead back at 14-13 on Bobbitt’s floater with 11:40 left, and later stretched it to 27-20 on Smith’s high-arching mid-range jumper with 6:50 remaining.
After Smith hit two free throws to make it 29-22 with 6:04 left, the Golden Bears went on an 8-2 run to close it to 31-30 on Ivan Rabb’s putback at the 1:26 mark. Sai Tummala then rattled in a 3-pointer from the right corner with 1:13 remaining, and Bobbitt swished a jumper with 10 seconds left to make it 36-30.
Rooks appeared to drop in a layup at the halftime buzzer, which would have cut the deficit to 36-32, but it was waved off after the officials reviewed the play at a courtside TV monitor and ruled the ball was still in his hand when the horn sounded.
Jankovic, Smith, Tummala, Aaron Valdes and Mike Thomas each drew two fouls in the first half, and Cal was 11 of 16 from the free throw line, compared to 6 of 9 for UH. The Golden Bears also out-rebounded Hawai’i, 18-13, but shot only 39 percent from the field, including 1 for 9 from 3-point range.
The Rainbow Warriors shot 51.9 percent (14 of 27) from the field.
More details, including video highlights and interviews, will be posted later.
(Game photo courtesy Brandon Flores / www.brandonfloresphotography.com)
It’s not the end. It’s just the beginning.
Go BOWS !!!! Whooo Hooo !
‘ quote from Quincy ‘
SO PROUD TO BE HAWAIIAN!
Way to GO BOWZ!
Next up!
Cheeee!!! Huuuu!!
Q 6/6 from free throw line!!!
11 Seed Hawaii beat 3 Seed Cal by 11 pts.
‘Q’ was outstanding!
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you very… much.
We are proud of our TEAM!
Pac 12 overrated along with so-called power conferences. Hawaii delivered a statement that we are a force to be reckoned with.
Fairness to Cal . 2 of top guys out and Pac12 freshman of year foul trouble. However warriors endured as many trials. Still win.I am looking at all the games. Quincy and Bobbitt probably best 2 guards leading team in nation.Quincy key to near 77 wins with 3 different coaches. All 3 head coaches love Q. He just plays. Now he can help warriors to Houston. My pick one of final 4?warriors this year’s deserving mid major. The possible last ncaa run for a time . Go Bows!!
yoohoo! Way to go Hawaii.It was a good game.great win.Everybody played good.Now we advance to the round of 32.I hope we make it to the sweet 16.
Wish Hawaii had money . power. And facilities. They should be part of a new Pac 16. They are just as good!!
Who was the little girl celebrating her 5th birthday at the game today?
We got out-rebounded 38 – 30 and still came up with the win !
Go Bows !
Q
The 7 rebounds by Bobbitt were big! With all Cals athletes we had to box out and get our guards to rebound. Great all around job and team effort.
Watching Maryland vs South Dakota St. game. Warriors will beat either on sunday. UH can play fast or slow and take a lot of charges. 2 best starting guards in tournament Bobbitt and Quincy. Warriors have the we can beat anybody swag.could they win national title? They get to sweet 16. No Question. Janks going prom scouts see what he can do. All seniors too.
The 5 yr old girl is coach Ganot’s adopted daughter.
The girl was Eran’s daughter with her mom /Mrs Ganot. There is a background story about her.
Go Bows!!!!!!!!!!Love our kids!!!!
Thank you. ..she was so adorable. …where can I find the background story
Way to go guys. Everyone stepped up, led by Quincy, who shot 6 for 8 from the field and 7 for 8 from FT line. The guy is just a winner; a low-maintenance kid who gives it his all every time he’s on the court.
Also thought Ganot did a masterful job of using his entire rotation when six of them already had 2 fouls each at halftime.
Sarah: The little girl is the daughter of the sister of Ganot’s wife. She lost her mom in a tragic accident, and the Ganots became her guardian. I believe that’s the story.
I’m not sure this is the place to talk about Zeza. I don’t think Ganot has ever spoken publicly about Zeza’s background. Was surprised the TBS commentators talked about it – never heard our local commentators talk about it.
Quincy Smith we all love that young man.Great guy to coach. I am sure he never thought he would be so huge offensively for team this year. We all knew Q focus his free throw shooting come around. He is leader of team. Once again ..great recruit..so huge for Hawaii past 3 year. Pro or coaching in basketball? Yes. All ncaa tournament mention . Yes! Q our guy. The Team first player!!
Way to keep composure bows!! So many fouls called.. So nerve racking!
Nothing new to these guys..but man I’m just happy we didn’t lose our heads
No technicals.
Way to stick together team! So proud of you!
Nothing can stop you except yourselves!
Let’s go bows!!!!
Several months ago, Brian McInnis wrote a story about the Ganots and the tragic circumstances that resulted in becoming Zeza’s godparents. Brian did a great job with such a sensitive story, and it really captured the kind of people Eran and his wife Barbea are. So, that’s been out for a while now.
Wow! It was not a pretty game with so much fouls called, but it was still an amazing game and a history making NCAA win for Hawaii. Props to Quincy for a game high 19 points and to Bobbitt for his steadiness down the stretch when Cal made a run. Everyone contributed and that’s how it has been all season.
Looking forward to Sunday’s game! All Hawaii is pulling for UH to get another win!
GREAT Performance AND National TV Quote, Q!
AND The TEAM IS NOT Even Playing Well/Good Yet
GOOD Enough, Today
BETTER ON SUNDAY
Sunday RE-Ward…SWEET 16…
JUST KEEP WINNIN’ ‘BOWS!
Great result Bows What a game Well done Jakob and Jack in crowd with players parents? Jack is redshirt so understand why he cant be on bench but Jakob is 13th player. Other teams have 8 or 9 on bench but maybe adminstration that cares about players and not just money. Coach takes family but not players. John Olivers view on NCAA may be rite
Woohoo! Congrats to the team on the win! Q IS THE MAN!!!! I was clapping so hard this morning my hands hurt….hopefully that will continue to be the case on Sunday. So proud of all of them and giving us the best season EVER! LET’S GO BOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ganot has another chance to fix this situation by putting Jakob on the bench for the next game. Please show some integrity if you hope to attract more Aussies
Thanks clyde….I found the story by McInnis….
GO BOWS!!!!!
Just win BOWS!!!!!
MAYBE…I’ll Do This MORE THAN One More Time…
TECHNICALLY…
SINCE EIGHT More Teams LOSE on Saturday
HAWAI’I IS Already in The FINAL 24…
IF/WHEN They WIN AGAIN on SUNDAY…or maybe even (Technically )
NOW … Fans I Think
You Can START Conjecturing About National Rankings…
Ultra-Correct, Champ And Father-of-Champ…
GO ‘BOWS!
JUST KEEP WINNIN’!
This game reminded me of the final conference tournament game with Long Beach. Cal and Long Beach were both very athletic and long although Cal has more talent. The refs made it difficult to have a rhythm and Valdes and Janks were saddled with fouls in both games. Brown though more heralded played a game much like Faust where he didn’t make the best decisions.
Hawaii in both games just hung tough and weathered the runs and came thru in the clutch. This Hawaii team is very well rounded and can come thru in all different situations and styles of play. They just keep setting records. What a great season!!
Go Bows.
Another one comes through. That is what makes a team good. A different player having a great game and today it was Q. Right on!!!
Okay guys be humble, work hard, focus and just win again on Sunday.
Maryland is good, to beat them UH will need to play its best game of the year, and Janks and Valdes cannot make silly fouls Bobbitt needs to find his three point shot too, and Tummala.
I don’t see the problem with people mentioning Zeza. her mom ( eran Ganots wife sister) passed away in 2012 and Eran and his now wife because legal guardians.
BELIEVE
I believe! I have from the ending of last season!
The best team in Hawaii history by any meaningful metric. I’m taking a licking extending my hotel stay another two nights but it’s worth it! Go bows!!
In my humble opinion, based on what I saw today Janks is better than both Rabb and Brown. He played only 18 minutes and out scored them both. He doesn’t just stand there and get fed the ball, he makes great moves to the basket and can drive and dribble. He’s so smooth. He does make stupid fouls but he is a great defender as well. And though he didn’t have any three pointers tonight his stats indicate he’s better at this as well. I was very impressed with the minutes he did play against these guys. No fear.
I was not happy during that stretch when we lost our big lead and Bobbitt kept jacking the three point attempts and missing and the lead got cut to four and Ganot never called a time out. That seems to happen often. To the team and Bobbitt’s credit, they always fight back and they remained calm and obviously we eventually pulled away again, but I really think we could improve so much if we would be less erratic on this! It drives me NUTS!! And Aaron seems to have lost his confidence and doesn’t ever shoot, or maybe he’s just following orders and trying only to take shots if he can get it inside, so he never gets in a groove with his outside shot.
I feel like Q now, I expect these guys to win. This is just the beginning. I want to go to the next level. We have not even come close to playing to our potential. Come on guys! Focus! Play smart! Take good shots. No stupid fouls. Don’t talk to the refs. We don’t want you to come home yet! BEAT MARYLAND! GO BOWS!!
Yes, best Hawaii team ever. So great for the fans who got to see this year’s team. They have accomplished more than any other UHBB team. No more living in the past, with Ganot the Warriors’ future is bright and the future is looking ahead to more games. This team lets the winning do the talking.
Warriors better 2 starting guards. Hottest team in tournament. Beat Maryland by 10 at least. Terrapins too slow and not engaged. Unless Maryland plays like a real Big Ten big team. Should be good game. Remember fans 28 wins and first win history made. Pro scouts looking at seniors and juniors. Program good exposure. Eran makes it to elite eight or not Eran will get a lot of communication from other schhols paying 2 to 4x as much money. We shall see.
Go Bows. We watching history in making!!
Still . I am watching guards in tournament. UH staters the best so far!! And that helps teams win national titles!!
Oh and please don’t interpret my post as not liking Bobbitt. He was awesome, had an awesome game. One of the greatest basketball players in Warrior history, for sure.
WAY TO GO WFan
Whenever YOU & TRUEFANS GET BACK
JUST WIN TWO MORE
FOR THREE WEEKS
(AND “ONLY ONE MORE” THIS WEEKEND…;-)
I WILL SUPPORT — TO SOME DEGREE
A FUNDRAISER FOR THE TRULY EXTENDED FANS…
I “SHOULD” Have SUCH Dedication…
“ONLY Seen TWO BWC Tourneys (Last Year And THIS Year)
AND I Also “Knew” WE COULD (Probably “Would”) Get To THIS DAY…
THE NEXT ONE IS GRAVY For me…
BOBBY O. — START ARRANGING A BIGGER UHMBB BANQUET ROOM!
NEWFANS…..IF YOU NEVER BEEN… THIS YEAR…
As I WATCH ALL These “Other Great” TEAMS
THEY LOOK Almost “INVISIBLE” VERSUS “THE” INDIVISIBLE ‘BOWS
BELIEVE!
GO ‘BOWS
JUST KEEP WINNIN’
Janks’ fouls are a big weakness, it limits his playing time too frequently.
I love Valdes but his off the dribble game is inconsistent. Catching the ball in the post or setting up on the perimeter though, he is a factor. If he feels it, then UH can keep winning.
Just hoping for the guys to play their best together, in March you’re going to face the best there are no cupcakes.
I bet Isaac Fleming feels like an ass right now.
Eagle…you’re flying, buddy! Indivisible!! Love it.
KellyO:
I don’t believe that the coaching staff will tell Aaron not to shoot. I think he has the green light anytime he wants. But I think you have a point though with his confidence. He hesitated on that one mid-range shot and missed it. We will see a more confident Aaron come Sunday. In fact, the whole team will be more confident.
Imagine at his height could breakdown defender. Create his shots. The sky is limit for him in pros.
Would like to see Zach and Dyrbe get into game warriors up by 15 last minute. Especially Dyrbe on scholie and graduating. That would be sweet. 808 represented for real!!
Jeezy33…
Really?!? Dude, is that crap necessary? We are trying to celebrate an awesome win by a great group of dudes that played their hearts out all year. Why even bring that sh!+ into it?!? If u want to know how isaac feels, why don’t you call him?
I did call him. Look, I’m not sure if you know me from the Warrior Beat blog, but I know my recruiting and I know my stuff.
Since you opened the door, how does Isaac feel?
I can truly say this is the best Rainbow Warrior game I have watched since following the team in the early 80’s. Wins over Mich St., Stanford(NIT) and several others were great ones to see in person, but today’s win was historic! I stood in my house most of the game, yelling, and hands red from the pounding that they received. Very proud. Bring on the Terps!! Living in the D.C. area, you get a lot of Terps and Cavalier coverage. It will be a very tough challenge but Coach Ganot will have the boys ready!! Imua Rainbow Warriors!!!
Isaac is very happy more like relieved glad to be home enjoying himself with his other brotha”s on the east coast.
Good win one man the make a team (jezzy)
I saw most of the 1st half and maybe the last seven minutes of the 2nd. I think i saw Sheriff cause Brown to commit two offensive fouls. The other day, Bobby C said that Brown played himself out of the lottery from his performance in the Pac-12 tournament. Is that true ?
What a joy it is to watch this team play.
Terrific win. Now on to Sunday’s game.
Go Warriors!
Can’t believe there are low lifes who try to impersonate me on multiple blogs to make me look bad.. Good thing people that know me know my avatar
Big daddy: please ignore the troll trying to pretend to be me. He is a fake trying to stir up trouble. I think most of the real fans wish Isaac could be a part of this.
At this time of the season fans need to stop second guessing the coach. They are 28-5 and that shows he has made many good decisions with his players. So when they lose can you imagine the second guessers. He feels the game and plans accordingly and I believe he has done a remarkable job.
Everyone seems to forget that this is Gib Arnold’s team!!