Warrior Insider

Max Hazzard hit a running jumper with less than 10 seconds remaining in overtime to lift UC Irvine to a 75-74 win over Hawai’i at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Hawai’i dropped to 11-7 overall and 2-2 in the Big West Conference. The Anteaters improved to 16-5 and 4-1.

Jack Purchase led the Rainbow Warriors with 18 points and seven rebounds. Zigmars Raimo added 16 points and six rebounds, and Leland Green scored 10.

After Hazzard’s go-ahead basket, the Warriors had one last possession, but Purchase missed a long 3-pointer.

The game went back and forth early, but a 9-0 run by the Warriors late in the first half helped give them a 29-23 advantage at intermission. Purchase hit two 3-pointers, and Leland Green scored on a breakaway layup to highlight the surge.

Purchase had 14 points in the first half, including 4-for-5 shooting from 3-point range. Green, who did not play in the previous two games, scored four points off the bench in the first half.

Hawai’i increased its lead to 39-30 after Stansberry hit a 3-pointer with 14:30 remaining. Midway through the second half, the Warriors hit 3-pointers on four consecutive possessions – two by Green, and one each by Stepteau and Samuta Avea – to increase their lead to 53-39 with 8:36 remaining.

The Anteaters responded with an 11-2 run late in the game to cut the UH lead to 58-57 with 2:40 remaining. UCI finally caught the Warriors with 1:02 remaining when Leonard drained a 3-pointer to tie the score at 62.

On UH’s next possession, Eddie Stansberry missed a 3-pointer, then was called for a foul on UCI’s Hazzard in the scramble for the rebound. Hazzard drained both free throws to give the Anteaters a 64-62 advantage.

Sheriff Drammeh re-tied the score at 64 by hitting two free throws with 25.8 seconds remaining. Both teams missed long 3-point attempts in the closing seconds of regulation.

The Warriors’ next game will be on Saturday, when they host UC Davis in another Big West game.

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

(Game photo courtesy Chris Kadooka)

Big West Conference
Wednesday’s Results
at CSUN 86, Long Beach State 71
UC Riverside 74, at Cal Poly 51
UC Irvine at Hawai’i

Thursday’s Game
UC Santa Barbara at Cal State Fullerton

Saturday’s Games
Cal State Fullerton at Cal Poly
UC Santa Barbara at Long Beach State
UC Riverside at UC Irvine
UC Davis at Hawai’i