HONOLULU – Fueled by the welcome return of its head coach, the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team breezed past Maine, 91-51,  Sunday at the Stan Sheriff Center. UH rounded out its non-conference schedule with a 9-5 mark and  its largest margin of victory in more than six years.
 
It was the first game back for head coach Eran Ganot, who missed the first 13 games of the season while on medical leave. The team came out sharp and energized, scoring the first 10 points of the game and never looked back. UH shot 58 percent for the game in leading from wire-to-wire.
 
Eddie Stansberry led UH with 21 points, while hitting 4-of-8 on three-pointers. Samuta Avea scored a career-high 17 points – all but two them coming in the decisive first half. Meanwhile, freshman Bernardo da Silva finished with 11 points and six rebounds in his first career start.
 
After struggling offensively in losses to No. 21 Washington and Georgia Tech – the team's first back-to-back losses this year – the Rainbow Warriors got back on track.  UH shot hit 16 of its first 21 shots of the game and finished 7-of-17 from long range and 20-of-26 from the free throw line.
 
UH shot 59 percent in the first half and led by as many as 20 points, before taking a 44-27 lead into the locker room. There wasn't any letup in the second half as UH continued its offensive onslaught, while picking up the defense. The 'Bows held Maine (3-10) to just 30 percent shooting after the break, while all 11 players who saw action got in the scoring column.
 
UH's 40-point margin of victory was its largest since a 51-point win over UH Hilo in November 2013 and its largest over a Division I opponent since an 85-41 win over Oregon State in November 2006.
 
The Rainbow Warriors will now have a 10-day window before starting conference play. UH's Big West opener will be  on the road at Cal State Fullerton on January 9 at 7:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. HT.