Box Score

RENO, Nev. – The University of Hawai`i men's basketball team came on the brink of a big upset, before eventually falling to Nevada, 66-60, Saturday night at the Lawlor Events Center. The Rainbow Warriors dropped to 9-13 overall and 2-7 in the Western Athletic Conference with their fourth straight loss.

 

Playing a huge underdog role before a national television audience, UH led briefly in the second half and were poised for an elusive road win with the game tied going into the final two minutes. The ending, however turned into a free-throw shooting contest with the Wolf Pack burying 10 straight free throws in the final 1:43. UH, meanwhile, went just 4-of-8 and finished 8-of-17 (.471) from the line for the game.

 

The loss dropped UH into a tie for eighth in the league standings. The Rainbow Warriors fell to 0-5 on the road this year and also remained winless in 13 all-time visits to Nevada.

 

Roderick Flemings led UH with 17 points and added eight rebounds. Brandon Adams posted 13 points and nine rebounds, while Hiram Thompson had 10 points and four assists before being sidelined for the final nine minutes of the game. Luke Babbitt had a game-high 20 points for the Wolf Pack (13-8, 5-3 WAC).

 

The first half was a game of runs. Nevada scored the first 10 points of the game, but UH weathered the storm and ended the first half with 12 unanswered points to send the game deadlocked 28-28, going into the locker room.

 

UH took its first and only lead of the game, 30-28, on a Brandon Adams layup two minutes into the second half. Nevada stormed back and had UH down by as many as 13 points with 11 minutes left. The resilient Rainbow Warriors rallied with a pestering zone defense and some efficient offense. Flemings layup at the two-minute mark brought the 'Bows all the way back with the game tied, 56-56. However, Nevada would go perfect from the free throw line the rest of the way, including 6-of-6 shooting by Babbitt.

 

UH next returns home to host Fresno State on Saturday, Feb. 6. Tipoff will be at 8:05 p.m. following the women's game versus the Lady Bulldogs at 5:00 p.m.