Box Score

HONOLULU - Carl English's jumper with 16.3 seconds remaining gave the Hawai'i men's basketball team a 73-71 victory over Nevada, in a Western Athletic Conference showdown, Wednesday night, at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Rainbow Warriors improved to 14-8 overall and evened its league record to 7-7.

English led the team in scoring with 26 points, including 19 in the first half, on 7-of-16 shooting from the field. English's outburst was his ninth 20-point game this season. Senior guard Mark Campbell added 12 points and three assists and junior forward Phil Martin scored 10 and grabbed five rebounds.

The 'Bows were playing its first contest since having its 24-game home winning streak broken Saturday night against San Jose State. The 'Bows evened the series record against the Wolf Pack, after dropping a 73-65 decision in Reno last month.

English was on fire to start the game, scoring 12 of the team's first 14 points, including three 3-pointers. The 'Bows then broke open a double digit lead with a 24-6 run midway through the half. After a Jerry Petty trey closed the Wolf Pack to within one (14-13), UH scored eight unanswered points to take a 22-13 lead. The 'Bows built a 34-17 lead, its largest of the game with 6:05 remaining. The Wolf Pack closed the half with a 14-7 spurt to pull within 10, 41-31.

In the second half, the Wolf Pack cut the deficit to single digits. A Petty breakaway lay-up narrowed the gap to 58-54 with 8:59 to play. UH opened a 68-58 lead with a Campbell lay-up off an English steal. Back came Nevada, closing to within 68-62 with 3:35 left but Campbell answered right back with his only trey of the game to put the 'Bows ahead 71-62 with 3:18 remaining.

The Wolf Pack scored the next six points, capped by an Okeson lay-up off a Hawai'i turnover. On UH's ensuing possession, the 'Bows turned the ball over again, and Green hit his third trey to tie the game at 71 with :44.6 remaining. After English jumper put UH ahead, Okeson's trey with time winding down hit iron.

The 'Bows departed Honolulu after the game and headed for Kent, Ohio, site of its Bracket Busters Saturday game against Kent State. Tip-off is set for 4:30 p.m. HST at the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 and can be heard over the airwaves on KKEA (1420 AM).

UH will stay on the mainland for nationally televised WAC games against Tulsa, Feb. 26 (espn2) and Rice, Feb. 28 (Fox Sports Net). The 12-day road-trip will mark the team's third weeklong voyage this season.



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