Box Score

RUSTON, La. - The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team nearly overcame a late double digit deficit but fell to Louisiana Tech, 70-67, Saturday night, in a Western Athletic Conference match-up at the Thomas Assembly Center. For the second straight game, the Rainbow Warriors (9-6, 0-2 WAC) led at the half only to see it disappear.

LaTech (4-10, 2-0 WAC) extended its win streak over UH to six straight. The 'Bows had a chance to send the game into overtime but Dominic Waters' three-point attempt in final seconds rimmed out.

UH out-scored the Bulldogs, 17-7 in the final 4:11 and Tech's Terry Parker missed a pair of free throws with 6.8 seconds left giving the 'Bows a chance at the final buzzer.

In typical Tech-Hawai'i battles, the game was decided by four points or less for the ninth time in the last 10 meetings. Tech has won the last six games against UH by a total of 13 points.

Ahmet Gueye scored 11 second half points and finished with a team-high 18, on 7-of-10 shooting for the 'Bows. Matt Lojeski added 16 points while Waters added 12 off the bench. UH, which shot 55 percent in the second half, committed 19 turnovers compared to only seven for the Bulldogs.

Trey McDowell had a game-high 24 points while Chad McKenzie added 18 for Tech.

The first half was a game of streaks as each time the 'Bows tried to pull away, the Bulldogs answered back. UH scored the game's first nine points but the Bulldogs came right back with eight straight.

The 'Bows then responded with a 13-2 run to take a 22-10 lead. Tech answered back with eight straight to pull within four. After Hawai'i stretched its lead to nine, the Bulldogs out-scored the 'Bows 12-4 to end the half and trail 31-30.

Tech scored eight unanswered to take a 38-35 lead five minutes into the second half. The 'Dogs stretched their lead to 48-41 following an 8-2 spurt with 11:17 left. The 'Bows crept back to within three at 52-49 but Tech scored the next seven straight during an 11-1 run. As expected, UH answered back and pulled within three with 7.4 seconds left on P.J. Owsley's lay-up.

Hawai'i returns to Honolulu next week to host key WAC games against Fresno State, Thursday, January 11 and preseason favorite Nevada, Saturday, January 13. Tip-off for both games is 7:05 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Box Score

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