Warrior Insider

The elite defense that has powered the University of Hawai’i basketball team this season finally faltered in a 75-63 road loss at UC Davis on Thursday.

A crowd of 1,961 at University Credit Union Center in Davis, Calif., watched the Aggies rally from a nine-point deficit in the first half to avenge a loss to the Rainbow Warriors earlier this season in Honolulu.

The Warriors fell to 16-7 overall and 7-4 in the Big West Conference. The Aggies improved to 14-9 and 7-4. The teams are now tied for fourth place with nine games remaining in the regular season.

Elijah Pepper scored 29 points on 12-of-18 shooting, and Ty Johnson added 22 points for UC Davis, which shot 63.6 percent from the field. Prior to this game, the Warriors had not allowed any opponent to shoot better than 50 percent this season.

JoVon McClanahan led the Warriors with 17 points. Kamaka Hepa added 12 points and five rebounds, and Noel Coleman scored 10 for Hawai’i.

The Warriors shot a respectable 47.1 percent from the field, but was just 4 for 17 (23.5 percent) from 3-point range.

The Aggies went 7 for 12 (58.3 percent) from 3-point range. Hawai’i entered the game ranked among the national leaders for 3-point defense, allowing opponents an average of 4.0 3-pointers per game on 27.1 percent shooting.

Hawai’i appeared to be in control for much of the first half, and had a 28-19 lead with 7:33 remaining before halftime. But the Aggies went on a 14-1 surge over the next six minutes to take a 33-30 advantage. Ty Johnson scored seven points during the surge, including a 3-pointer and a breakaway dunk.

Pepper, a 6-foot-4 guard who entered the game leading the BWC in scoring at 20.0 points per game, scored 15 points in the first half, including a jumper just before the halftime horn sounded to give the Aggies a 37-31 lead at intermission.

UCD shot 65 percent (13 for 20) in the first half, including 60 percent (3 for 5) from 3-point range, in the first half.

The Aggies went on a 9-2 run early in the second half to extend their lead to 50-37 with 15:59 remaining. The Warriors never got closer than eight points the rest of the game.

Hawai’i had a season-low five assists, and also grabbed a season-low 21 rebounds (UC Davis grabbed 25).

Hawai’i will remain on the road for a BWC game at Cal Poly on Saturday.

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Big West Conference
Thursday’s Results
at UC Davis 75, Hawai’i 63
UC Irvine 76, at UC San Diego 60
Long Beach State 70, at Cal State Fullerton 67
at UC Santa Barbara 68, Cal Poly 62
at CSU Bakersfield 82, UC Riverside 76 (OT)

Saturday’s Games
UC Irvine at Long Beach State
UC Riverside at Cal State Fullerton
CSU Bakersfield at UC San Diego
UC Santa Barbara at CSUN
Hawai’i at Cal Poly