by RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The University of Hawaii saw its seven-game win streak come to an end with a 64-59 road loss to UC Riverside at SRC Arena. The Rainbow Warriors dropped to 11-6 overall and 6-1 in the Big West with their first setback in more than a month and their first league loss.
UH remains in first place in the Big West, but now shares the top perch with Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State who were each victorious on Thursday to create a three-way tie at the top of the standings.
Callum McCrae and Zyon Pullin led the Highlanders with 19 points apiece as UCR (12-7, 5-3) defeated the Rainbow Warriors for the fourth time in the last five meetings. Kamaka Hepa (Inupiaq/Hawaiian) led a balanced UH attack with 12 points. The junior forward remained hot from distance, finishing 4-of-6 on three-pointers for the second straight game. Hepa also added a a team-high seven rebounds.
The ‘Bows got off to a hot start offensively against one of the top defensive teams in the nation. UH hit 10 of its first 14 shots and got eight straight points from Mate Colina to double-up the Highlanders, 22-11, early on. UH cooled down, scoring just two points in the final five minutes of the half, but still took a 32-30 lead into the locker room.
The second half was a see-saw affair and the game would go down to the final moments. After UCR took a five-point lead early in the second half, UH roared back and the team’s changed leads for the remaining 12 minutes.
UH held a 52-49 led with a little more than five minutes left on a Jerome Desrosiers three-pointer. UCR responded with six straight points to retake the lead and from then on it would be a one possession game till nearly the very end. Down 62-59, UH had a chance to tie game, but JoVon McClanahan’s three-point attempt with seven seconds left was off the mark and UCR sealed the win with a pair of free throws for the final margin.
