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HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team gave a big-time effort before falling short to Illinois, 78-77, in overtime Friday night at the Stan Sheriff Center. DJ Richardson's corner three-pointer at the buzzer proved the game-winner as the Illini escaped with the win.
 
UH (3-1) showed it could compete with a Big Ten squad, leading for the majority of game. UH built a 16-point lead early in the second half and held a five-point advantage midway through overtime, but ultimately couldn't hold on.
 
Vander Joaquim recorded his second straight double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds and hit the game-tying shot at the end of regulation. Chicago native Brandon Spearman also gave an inspired effort, finishing with 20 points and nine rebounds.
 
Illinois (3-0) countered with an explosive backcourt, as Richardson (16), Brandon Paul (25) and Tracy Abrams (22), combined for 63 of the team's 78 points.
 
Defense was the story for the Rainbow Warriors in the first half. The Illini made just two of its first 14 shot attempts and shot just 30 percent in the first half as UH took a 41-28 lead at break.
 
A Spearman three-pointer to open the second half gave UH its biggest lead of the game, 44-28. But Illinois slowly chipped away and a Paul layup with less than three minutes in regulation gave the Illini its first lead of the game. The teams traded leads five times in the final three minutes of regulation. The Illini held a 66-64 lead in the waning seconds before Joaquim sent the Stan Sheriff Center crowd into a frenzy with a fadeaway jumper in the paint to send the game into overtime.
 
UH continued the momentum in overtime as Joaquim's jumper made it 74-69 with 2:45 left. But the Illini ended the game on a 9-3 run, capped by Richardson's three-pointer in the game's final play.
 
The Rainbow Warriors out-rebounded the Illini, 51-31, but were undone by turnovers (16) and poor free throw shooting (17-of-31). UH remained winless in seven all-time meetings with Illinois.
 
The 'Bows conclude their season-opening five-game homestand when they host North Dakota on Tuesday, Nov. 20. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m.