Box Score Box Score
HONOLULU – The first time was great, but the second time was unbelievable. Hawai'i outlasted Tulsa, 86-85, Thursday night in a battle of the top two teams in the Western Athletic Conference. With the victory, the Rainbow Warriors overtook the Golden Hurricane for the WAC lead, and swept the regular season series, to improve to 22-4, 13-2 in league play.
A sell-out crowd of 10,300, dressed in white and waving good luck ti leaves, saw UH guard Mark Campbell hit one of two free throws with 2.9 seconds remaining to clinch the victory. The game featured 11 ties and 16 lead changes as no team took more than a seven-point lead throughout the night.
“I don't know if there has been a better basketball game in this arena,” head coach Riley Wallace said. “It feels absolutely great. It was a great college basketball game. This one means more than anyone of the others.”
Earlier this year, the 'Bows upset the Golden Hurricane, 90-82, in Tulsa. In that game, Hawai'i overcame a seven-point deficit and scored 56 second half points to shock the Hurricane.
In the rematch, Carl English scored a game-high 28 points, including 5-of-7 from long range. Guard Predrag Savovic had 27 points while Mindaugas Burneika came off the bench to score 11. Sophomore Haim Shimonovich grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds, while guard Mark Campbell finished with three points and three assists.
“There were two keys in the game,” Wallace said. “Haim Shimonovich, 14 rebounds and five assists, and Mark Campbell, both blue-collar players and they did the job tonight.”
Leading Tulsa was guard Antonio Reed, who scored 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting. He scored 19 second half points while finishing 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Marqus Ledoux came off the bench and scored 15 points, making all six of his baskets.
During a span of 4:00 in the second half, the Hurricane used a 14-1 run, including a 10-0 spurt, to take a 80-73 lead with 5:02 remaining. But the 'Bows slowly answered back with a Burneika 3-pointer to cut the deficit to four. After a Ledoux jumper put TU back ahead by six, Savovic hit a free throw and English hit his fourth trey to bring UH to within 82-80. After a Greg Harrington miss, Savovic came right back down the court and drained a three from the left wing to put UH ahead, 83-82.
With under a 1:00 to play, Kevin Johnson hit a lay-up to momentarily put TU up by one. But English's lay-up off a Shimonovich pass gave the 'Bows the one point lead with 29 second left. On TU's ensuing possession, Johnson drove to the lane but was fouled with 12 seconds remaining. The forward missed the first but made the second, tying the score at 85.
After a timeout, Campbell took the inbounds pass, drove down the court, and saw an open lane. Instead of passing to another player, he took it straight to the basket while getting fouled in the process.
Campbell's first free throw was all net but his second rimmed out. Johnson grabbed the rebound and passed to Harrington at midcourt, who fumbled the ball and threw up a desperation shot but was ruled no good.
“You don't know how happy the kids are,” Wallace said. “Ask them. Mike McIntyre has played here four years and never played before a sell-out crowd before. That white out (arena) was weird but good. That place was white. It was a weird feeling out there on the court.”
Hawaii hosts Rice on Senior Night, Saturday, Feb. 23. Seniors Savovic, Burneika, and Mike McIntyre will make their final appearance in the Stan Sheriff Center. Tip-off is set for 7:07 p.m.
