Warrior Insider

Jack Purchase had 23 points, nine rebounds and shot into the record books to lead the University of Hawai’i to an 87-64 victory over UC Riverside at the Stan Sheriff Center on Saturday night.

The Rainbow Warriors improved to 16-9 overall and is alone in third place in the Big West Conference at 7-4. They also avenged a four-point loss to these same Highlanders a month ago in Riverside, Calif. UC Riverside dropped to 9-18 and 3-8.

Brocke Stepteau added 17 points and Eddie Stansberry scored 15 for the Warriors, who shot a season-high 58.9 percent from the field and went 13 for 23 (56.5 percent) from 3-point range.

Hawai’i took control from the start and never relented.

Stepteau hit three 3-pointers in the first five minutes of the game to give Hawai’i a 16-6 lead. As a team, the Warriors opened the game by shooting 8 for 10 from the field, including 4 for 5 from 3-point range.

Purchase made his first 3-pointer one minute into the game, putting him alone atop one of the UH career records. The senior forward shot 5 for 8 from 3-point range and now has 185 career 3-pointers, which is five more than the previous mark set by Zane Johnson from 2010-12.

By the end of the first half, Hawai’i was shooting 62.1 percent from the field (18 for 29), 69.2 percent from 3-point range (9 for 13), and had a 50-29 lead.

Midway through the second half, the Hawai’i lead increased to 29, allowing the reserves to close out the game.

The game was part of a basketball doubleheader with the UH women’s basketball team. The Rainbow Wahine defeated Long Beach State, 63-49, in the first game of the night.

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

Big West Conference
Saturday’s Results
Cal State Fullerton 78, at CSUN 71
at UC Davis 77, Long Beach State 73
at UC Irvine 83, UC Santa Barbara 70
at Hawai’i 87, UC Riverside 64