Box Score
HONOLULU - Wayne Powell's putback with 3.3 seconds left lifted Louisiana Tech to a 61-59 upset victory over Hawai'i, Saturday night, in a Western Athletic Conference match-up at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Rainbow Warriors saw their 13-game home win streak snapped and dropped to 10-3 overall and 2-3 in the WAC.
In the closing seconds, the Bulldogs' Corey Dean missed a fade-away jumper from the left corner, which bounced and rolled off the top of the backboard. In the scramble, Powell grabbed the rebound and put in the game-winner. Julian Sensley's desperation 3-pointer from 30-feet missed to the left.
The game was another nail-biter between the schools as five of the last six meetings were decided by four points or less. Last year, the Bulldogs upset UH in Honolulu with a bucket in the final minute of the game.
Senior guard Jake Sottos came off the bench to lead UH with a career-high 20 points, including six 3-pointers. On Thursday, Sottos scored 17 in a victory over SMU. Sophomore Matt Gibson tallied his ninth consecutive double figure scoring game with 10 points and four steals. Sensley struggled from the field with eight points on 3-of-10 shooting and five turnovers.
Paul Millsap, the WAC's leader in rebounding, and team-leader in scoring finished with 10 points and 14 boards. Donell Allick picked up the scoring for LaTech and finished with a game-high 22 points on 10-of-14 shooting. Powell had 10 points for the Bulldogs, as only six players saw action during the game.
Tech scored the game's first seven points and raced out to a 9-2 lead behind seven points by Allick. The Bulldogs led the entire first half but the 'Bows kept within striking distance as Sottos drained four treys and scored 14 points in the period.
Bobby Nash's jumper from the top of the key briefly tied it at 17. The Bulldogs jumped back out to a 24-19 lead after a Dean 3-pointer. UH battled back to cut the lead down to one with 3:20 remaining, but the Bulldogs answered each basket and took a 34-32 lead entering the half.
The second half featured seven ties, starting with UH knotting the game twice after consecutive dunks by Chris Botez and Sensley. The 'Bows took its first lead of the game at 42-40 off a Botez putback five minutes into the second half. The Bulldogs regained the quickly regained lead, 45-44, after an Allick trey in the corner.
Hawai'i's largest lead of the night came off a Sottos trey, putting the `Bows up 54-51 at 5:40. The lead changed hands four times before Millsap's turnaround bucket tied it at 59 with 1:58 left, setting up the climactic final minute.
Prior to this game, UH was 9-0 at home this season and had not lost since last year's defeat to the Bulldogs.
The 'Bows return to the mainland where they face WAC leader UTEP, Thursday, Jan. 20. Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m. MST at the Don Haskins Center. The game will be broadcast live on KKEA 1420AM with Bobby Curran calling the action.
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