HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team got off to a slow start and never found its rhythm in a 70-64  home loss to UC Riverside Wednesday night at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Rainbow Warriors dropped to 8-11 overall and 2-4 in the Big West with its second straight conference home loss. 
 
Dikymbe Martin led a short-handed Highlander squad with a game high 17 points. UCR (6-11, 4-2 BWC) played minus its starting backcourt of Malik Thames and Chance Murray but it didn't stop them from winning their fourth straight contest.
 
It marked the second straight year that the Highlanders handed UH a stinging home loss. UCR also upset last year's squad that went on to win the Big West title.
 
Gibson Johnson led UH with 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, while also adding a team-high six rebounds. Leland Green poured in 15 points, while Sheriff Drammeh chipped in 11 points and three assists off the bench.  
 
Despite missing two key starters, UCR came out strong. The Highlanders scored the first seven points of the game and shot 60 percent in the first half to take a 34-30 lead at the break. UH had just six rebounds in the first half, but stayed in the game by forcing 11 Highlander turnovers.
 
UH took a brief lead in the opening minutes of the second half following Noah Allen's three-point play, but a six-minute scoring drought eventually put UH in a 10-point hole, 48-38, midway through the second half.
 
UH responded with a 13-3 run, capped by a Johnson tip-in, to make it 51-51 with 7:25 left. The game would be tied once more at 58-58 on a Johnson free throw with 3:14 left. But UH never got over the hump. UCR scored the next five points to fuel a 12-6 game-sealing run.
 
UH buried 10 three-pointers and converted 14-of-18 from the free throw line, but UCR out-rebounded the 'Bows, 28-25, and out-scored them 26-14 in the paint.
 
The Rainbow Warrior will conclude its five-game homestand with a contest versus UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, Jan. 28 as part of a double-header with the Rainbow Wahine. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.