Box Score

RUSTON, La. – The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team picked up its first league win of the year with a hard-fought 56-48 victory over Louisiana Tech Saturday night at the Thomas Assembly Center. UH improved to 10-8 overall and 1-5 in the WAC while handing first-year head coach Gib Arnold his first career conference victory.

 

It was a cathartic win for the 'Bows who not only ended a five-game slide, but also ended a 15-game road losing streak dating back nearly two years. A total of 13 of those losses came in WAC regular-season action with the 'Bows last winning at Fresno State in February 2009.

 

It was tight affair throughout with the Rainbow Warrior securing the win by scoring the game's final seven points. UH put out one of its best defensive efforts of the season, holding the Bulldogs (9-10, 0-5 WAC) scoreless for the final 2:31 of the game and forcing them to just 29 percent shooting from the field.

 

Senior Bill Amis played the pivotal role in the UH lineup with a monster effort, posting 22 points and 12 rebounds. It was his first double-double of the season and fourth of his career.

 

Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, particularly from distance, going a combined 1-of-13 on three-pointers. UH led for much of the first half in a tight game, but the Bulldogs scored six straight points to take their first lead of the game five minutes before the break. The 'Bows responded with six straight points of their own, part of a 9-1 run, that helped give UH a 29-25 lead into the locker room.

 

UH continued to cling to a slim lead midway through the second half. The Bulldogs, however, hit back-to-back thee-pointers, part of an 8-0 run, that gave LTU a three-point lead with less than eight minutes.

 

From there it was a nail-biter as both teams went back-and-forth.  UH held a slim 49-48 lead with a little more than two minutes left, but scored on their next two possessions, including a layup by Joston Thomas after a key steal by Jeremiah Ostrowski to help trigger the game-ending 7-0 run. The 'Bows played the final 3:18 without leading scorer Zane Johnson who fouled out.

 

UH now returns to Hawai'i for three straight home games beginning with a meeting versus Fresno State on Thursday, Jan. 20. Tipoff is 7:00 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.