Box Score

HONOLULU - Sophomore Matt Gibson scored a career 26 points as Hawai'i snapped a four-game losing streak to Fresno State, 66-59, Saturday night, on the final day of the regular season. A Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 8,065 watched as seniors Jeff Blackett, Jake Sottos, and Vaidotas Peciukas guaranteed the program's seventh consecutive winning season.

Prior to the game, the Rainbow Warriors learned they were the No. 7 seed in next week's Western Athletic Conference Tournament in Reno, Nev. UH will play in one of two "play-in" games against San Jose State, Tuesday, at 6:00 p.m. PST (4:00 p.m. HST).

Gibson scored 24 of his points in the second half to rally the 'Bows from a seven-point halftime deficit. The Oklahoma City, Okla., native was 9-of-18 from the floor and scored 16 of the team's final 18 points. His three 3-pointers occurred in the game's final 5:23, including the game-clinching trey with 2:16 left that put the 'Bows ahead by six.

Blackett finished with 14 points and seven rebounds while Sottos was limited to eight points on 2-of-11 shooting. Center Chris Botez grabbed 11 rebounds, the most since his 16-rebound performance in UH's opening night victory over Mississippi Valley State.

Forward Donovan Morris scored a team-high 21 points for the Bulldogs. In two games against UH, the freshman scored 41 points and was 14-of-18 from the field and drained nine 3-pointers.

UH forward Julian Sensley scored six of the team's first eight points, as the 'Bows built an early 8-2 lead. The Bulldogs tied it at 8 before Hawai'i forged ahead 18-12. Fresno State used a 11-2 run to take a brief 23-20 lead before Botez answered with a pair of free throws and a bucket to give UH the lead back.

With UH ahead 26-23, the Bulldogs closed out the half with a 10-0 run and held the Bows scoreless for the final 5:42 of the half. Morris scored 19 points and the Bulldogs led 33-26 at the break.

In the second half, UH retook the lead at 40-39 with a 9-0 run following consecutive fastbreak lay-ups by Gibson and Blackett. With the score tied at 42, the 'Bows held Fresno State scoreless for a six-minute stretch and took a 49-42 advantage.

The Bulldogs closed to 55-52 at the 2:36 mark before Gibson's trey from the corner put the game out of reach.

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