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HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team continued its fruitful first half of the season with a 69-66 Christmas Day win over Colorado and a third-place finish at the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic.
 
The 'Bows (10-4) overcame early foul trouble to Aaron Valdes and lost Roderick Bobbitt (9 pts, 4 ast) for a good chunk of the first half after the junior point guard needed stitches from an errant elbow on a rebound attempt. Fleming took the reigns at point guard for much of his absence and poured in a career-high 18 points while adding six rebounds and five assists.
 
Josh Scott led Colorado with 23 points on 7-10 from the floor with Askia Booker adding 22 points.
 
UH had a nice eight-point cushion before Colorado (7-5) ran off 12 answered points to take a 62-58 lead with just 4:39 to play. The 'Bows didn't cave though as Fleming drained a three pointer to cut the lead to one point. With less than a minute to go, Negus Webster-Chan's floater gave UH the lead back then Bobbitt raced down the court on the ensuing Buffalo possession to snatch the ball away from Booker. Bobbitt sank a pair of free throws to cap to win.
 
The 'Bows got off to a hot start as Webster-Chan (12 pts) and Bobbitt both dialed long distance to give UH an early 8-4 lead. A Fleming three pointer extended the lead to 16-10 but CU got back into the game on the heels of a 9-3 run. Scott's jumper tied the game at 19-19 with just under eight minutes left in the first half. Garrett Nevels had just one bucket in the half but his four rebounds and four assists kept the 'Bows in the game. He would finish with 12 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two blocks.
 
Nevels started to heat up in the early going of the second half but the 'Bows quickly got in foul trouble as Valdes and Fleming picked up their fourth and third fouls, respectively. Colorado hung around as the 'Bows juggled their lineup but when Stefan Jancovic's block sparked a fast break leading to a Fleming and-one, UH had its biggest lead of the game at 54-47.
 
Hawai'i won't have much time to recover from its three games in three day stretch, as it retakes the court Monday, Dec. 29 against Southern. Tip off at the Stan Sheriff Center is set for 7:00 p.m.