Warriors fall to Illinois State, 71-45
Illinois State jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead and never looked back Thursday night en route to a dominant 71-45 victory over Hawai’i in the opening round of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic.
A modest crowd of about 4,500 at the Stan Sheriff Center and national ESPN2 TV audience watched the Redbirds improve to 7-3 and advance to Friday’s 5 p.m. semifinal vs. San Francisco. The Warriors fell to 4-6 and will face Utah (7-3) in 7:30 p.m. consolation bracket game.
Illinois State got early back-to-back 3-pointers from MiKyle McIntosh and Paris Lee and led 10-0 less than three minutes into the game.
Sheriff Drammeh finally got UH on the board with a 3-pointer from the left wing with 16:53 remaining in the half, and his drive and short banker from the left side later drew the Warriors to 10-7 with 14:23 left, but the Redbirds answered with a 7-0 run and Phil Fayne’s layup made it 17-10 midway through the half.
Gibson Johnson’s free throw with 55.6 seconds remaining closed it to 31-25, but DJ Clayton’s two free throws 10 seconds later gave Illinois State a 33-25 halftime lead.
Noah Allen’s 3-pointer from the right corner 27 seconds into the second half cut it to 35-28, but the Redbirds responded with a 12-2 run capped by Deontae Hawkins’ 3-pointer that made it 47-30 with 15:33 remaining, and the Warriors went over 12 minutes without a field goal after Brocke Stepteau’s 3-pointer with 15:33 left.
Allen and Stepteau led UH with 10 points each.
More details, including video interviews, will be posted later.
Thursday’s Results
Tulsa 74, Stephen F. Austin 51
San Diego State 66, Southern Miss 51
San Francisco 89, Utah 86
Illinois State 71, Hawai’i 45
Friday’s Games
11:30 a.m. – Tulsa vs. San Diego State
1:30 p.m. – Stephen F. Austin vs. Southern Miss
5:00 p.m. – San Francisco vs. Illinois State
7:30 p.m. – Hawai’i vs. Utah
Sunday’s Games
7:30 a.m. – 5th place OR 7th place game
9:30 a.m. – 5th place OR 7th place game
1:00 p.m. – 3rd place game
3:00 p.m. – Championship game
(Game photo courtesy Brandon Flores / www.brandonfloresphotography.com)
It pains me to say it but that was just the most pathetic performance I’ve ever seen by UH basketball players and coaching staff. No effort by players and Ganot waits until we’re down by 30 to put in Owies and Ido? Are you kidding me? Ganot was super stoked about the two week break, said the team would get better. Well, if we were mediocre before then we’re just terrible now.
Tough Job, Ganot
NOBODY Said it would be easy (we might have hoped…But…)
ONE OF THE WORST Performances Ever, At Least @ SCCtr
But I saw The Program (Up Close) The Last Time UHMBB Was on NCAA Probation
And Believe Me 1-26 WAS WAY WORSE…
BUT That DOES NOT Excuse Tonight’s (Lack of) Performance
especially with way more Youth BUT ALSO More Talent (Now)
I Don’t Blame GANOT for being DEPRESSED
And Too Bad …Gotta Buck Up By Tomorrow Afternoon’s Practice and Tomorrow Night
GO STAFF!
GO ‘BOWS!
There WILL BE Nights Like This
Obviously…WE Have Evidence
ONE Snap And Clear
DURING THE FANS CALL-IN SHOW
Jack Purchase was Practicing, Struggling to Get Back HIS Shot
(Which DID NOT Look So Good @ Half-Time Warm-Up)
Go ‘Bows!