Box Score

HONOLULU - The University of Hawai`i men's basketball team lost their second straight game on the season, this time against Illinois (2-0) 79-77 Friday night at the Stan Sheriff Center. Illinois, an NCAA Tournament team last season, won on a layup by Calvin Brock with five seconds left in front of 6,308 fans.

UH was in control most of the game but went more than eight minutes in the second half without a field goal that let the Fighting Illini get back into the game.

Senior Bobby Nash led all scorers with a 30-point performance, a new career high. Nash shot 50 percent from the field on 10-of-20 shooting and was perfect from the charity stripe, going 7-for-7. Senior Riley Luettgerodt recorded 16 points and senior Jared Dillinger tallied 12, 11 in the first half.

Chester Frazier led the Fighting Illini with 19 points and nine rebounds. Brock came off the bench to add 11 plus the game winner. Shaun Pruitt in the post for Illinois had 15 points and seven rebounds.

UH started the game strong, going on a quick 6-0 run. However, the Fightin Illini scored four straight points to close the gap. UH continued to pull ahead off of Nash's seven points within the first five minutes to bring the `Bows to a 11-4 lead.

After Illinois tied the game at 17, UH would start to pull away. A Dillinger three broke the tie and UH would go up by as many as ten. Dillinger stole the ball and on the fast break hit Kareem Nitoto for a basket that brought the crowd to its feet with 5:05 left in the first half for a 35-25 lead.

Illinois stormed back with the help of Calvin Brock's two dunks and got within three at 37-34 with 56 seconds left in the half.

Dillinger hit a three from the left corner as time wound down in the first half and gave UH a six point lead, 42-36.

Sophomore Bill Amis hit a jumper to start it off for the Rainbow Warriors in the second half, increasing UH's lead to their largest at that point to 11, 47-36.

Minutes later, UH tried to put the game away off a Chris Meachen turnover that allowed Luettgerodt to go coast to coast for a lay in to extend the `Bows lead to 62-49. However, after that field goal by Luettgerodt, the Rainbow Warriors went until the 4:08 mark for a bucket, this one by Nash ended their drought and brought them within five, 74-69. In that span, UH only scored five points, all off free throws and the Fighting Illini were able to put together a 14-0 run.

Nash was able to breathe life back into the `Bows when he hit two three's within 35 seconds of each other, the second giving UH the lead 75-74 with 2:59 remaining in the game. UH did not hit another field goal the rest of the way but got another two point lead when Luettgerodt sank two free throws, allowing UH a 77-75 lead.

UH, now 0-2 on the season, will next face Alcorn State this Sunday, Nov. 18, at 8:05 p.m.

 

 

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