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HONOLULU – In a frenetic game filled with alternating runs, Long Beach State had the final word, handing the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team a 92-83 loss Thursday night at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Rainbow Warriors saw their three-game win streak snapped while dropping to 14-6 overall and 3-3 in the Big West.
 
UH had the opportunity to move into a three-way tie for first in the Big West with a win, but instead slid into fifth place. Still, UH is only a game off the pace in the congested early-season standings.
 
It was a tight game throughout and UH clung to a 72-70 lead with a little less than five minutes remaining. But the 49ers, who shot a sizzling 60 percent from the floor and scored 42 points in the paint, made one final and decisive run to pull away by nine.
 
Mike Caffey tallied a career-high 29 points to lead LBSU (8-12, 4-2 BWC). A.J. Spencer also poured in a career-best 24 points for the three-time defending Big West champions, who moved into a three-way tie for first in the Big West with the win.
 
Five players finished in double-digits for the Rainbow Warriors, led by Garrett Nevels and Christian Standhardinger with 18 points apiece. Standhardinger also added a game-high nine rebounds.
 
UH scored the first six points of the game, LBSU answered with eight unanswered and it went back-and-forth from there with five ties and seven lead changes in the first half. The 49ers held a 44-43 lead at halftime and used a 16-1 run during a five-minute stretch bridging the first and second halves to take nine-point advantage.
 
The 'Bows would eventually catch up and six straight points by Isaac Fotu with 10 minutes remaining gave them the lead again—one of four lead changes during the second half. After LBSU took a 70-66 lead, Standhardinger hit back-to-back three-pointers to give UH a 72-70 lead with five minutes remaining.
 
The 49ers, however,  put the game away with an 11-2 run over the next three minutes, including a key three-pointer by Caffey that pushed the LBSU lead to five points with 2:30 reamaining. UH would get no closer following that.
 
The Rainbow Warriors will continue their four-game homestand when they host Cal State Northridge on Saturday, Feb. 1. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m.