by HONOLULU — The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team started the 2022 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic with a 76-70 win over Pepperdine Thursday night at the Stan Sheriff Center.
With the win, UH (7-3) advanced to the tournament semifinals where they will meet Washington State on Friday at 7 p.m. It is the second time in the last three years and the fifth time overall that UH has moved into the championship bracket of the tournament.
The Rainbow Warriors also ended a four-game Diamond Head Classic skid, winning their first game since the 2019 opening round vs. UTEP. UH led from wire-to-wire, but it didn’t come easy as the ‘Bows, who build a 19-point lead had to stave off a late Pepperdine rally.
Four players scored in double figures led by Noel Coleman’s 22 points. Kamaka Hepa finished with 19 points, JoVon McClanahan had a career-high 17 points and Samuta Avea notched his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
UH scored eight of the game’s first 10 points to start a strong first half. The ‘Bows held a 38-24 lead at the break with Coleman and Hepa combining for 30 of the team’s points. UH shot 50 percent while out-rebounding the Waves 18-10 in the first 20 minutes.
UH built a 19-point bulge and led 55-36 with a little less than 13 minutes left. But with Coleman and Avea saddled with foul trouble, Pepperdine made a move. The Waves went on a 20-5 run to cut it to a 60-56 deficit with 4:36 left.
UH however responded with eight of the next 10 points, including a clutch McClanahan three-pointer, to build the lead back to double-digits. The ‘Bows held the Waves without a field goal for a near four-minute span to secure the win.
