Warrior Insider

Noah Allen scored a game-high 21 points and grabbed six rebounds, and Jack Purchase added 13 points — including two 3-pointers in overtime — tonight to help Hawai’i stun Cal State Fullerton, 64-58, in thrilling Big West Conference men’s basketball action.

An energetic “White-Out” Senior Night crowd of about 8,500 at the Stan Sheriff Center watched Gibson Johnson add 11 points, six boards and four blocks as the Warriors improved to 14-13 overall, 8-6 in the Big West. The Titans, who had won six of their previous seven games, fell to 14-13, 8-6.

Sheriff Drammeh made the first of two free throws with 4.2 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the score at 46-46, but missed the second and Cal State Fullerton grabbed the rebound but could not get off a shot before the horn.

Purchase opened the overtime period with a 3-pointer from the left corner to put UH ahead for good, and the Warriors sealed the victory with a 13-6 run after the Titans had closed it to 51-50 on Jackson Rowe’s free throw with 2:45 left.

Hawaii led, 23-21, at halftime but Cal State Fullerton took the lead early in the second half and extended it to 40-33 after Arkim Robertson’s slam dunk with 10:38 remaining.

The Warriors clawed back and closed it to 46-45 on Noah Allen’s layup off Gibson Johnson’s assist with 1:09 remaining, and UH gained possession after a Titans miss at the other end of the court.

After a timeout with 29.1 seconds on the clock, the Warriors worked the ball around the perimeter and Allen drove to the basket but missed at point blank range, with Drameh coming up with the loose ball rebound and being fouled to set up the game-tying free throw with 4.2 seconds left.

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

Saturday’s Results
Cal Poly 84, at UC Riverside 77
at UC Davis 75, Long Beach State 71
at UC Irvine 83, CSUN 80
at Hawai’i 64, Cal State Fullerton 58