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HONOLULU – After more than a month of frustration and anguish the University of Hawaii men's basketball team finally got back in the win column with a euphoric 74-63 victory over Nevada Saturday at the Stan Sheriff Center. Playing their final home game of the season, the Rainbow Warriors (10-18, 3-11 WAC) snapped a nine-game losing streak and sent out their five seniors in style.
Roderick Flemings, one of the five departing seniors for UH, led the team with 20 points and 12 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season. The 'Bows also got career performances for
Hiram Thompson and
Adhar Mayen. Thompson finished with 19 points, while Mayen, another senior, scored a career-high 17 points.
The win, UH's first since a Jan. 17 victory over San Jose State, moved UH into a tie for eighth place in the WAC standings and set up a showdown with Boise State this week on the road. A win over the Broncos on Thursday assures the Bows a spot in the WAC Tournament.
UH shot 63 percent in the second half to build a 17 point lead before holding off a late rally by the Wolf Pack (17-11, 9-5 WAC). The win was UH's first over Nevada since 2006, ending a string of eight straight Wolf Pack wins over UH.
UH got off to a furious start scoring the first eight points of the game in less than two minutes. Nevada was undeterred however and went on an 18-4 run to take the lead. But UH used a 7-0 run late in the half and 14 points by Flemings to eventually take a 35-32 lead into the locker room.
The 'Bows got hot in the second half and an 18-3 run put the Rainbow Warriors up, 58-41, with 10 minutes remaining. Nevada rallied and cut the lead to just three points, 62-59, with 2:48 left. But the 'Bows would not be denied as Flemings converted a three-point play on UH's next possession, starting a 12-0 run by UH to seal the game.
UH will play its final two regular-season WAC games in Idaho, beginning with a crucial game versus Boise State on Thursday, March 4. Tipoff is 7:00 p.m. MT (4:00 p.m. HT).
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