FULLERTON, Calif. – The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team opened Big West play in impressive fashion with a 75-68 road win over Cal State Fullerton Thursday night at Titan Gym. The Rainbow Warriors improved to 10-5 on the season in a game they led from wire-to-wire.
 
Eddie Stansberry scored a game-high 25 points, including a clutch basket in the final minute to help seal the win against the Titans (5-11, 0-1 BWC). UH has now beaten Fullerton in 15 of the last 17 meetings, including the last five straight.
 
UH led by double-digits in both halves, but needed to hold off a late Titan rally, leading to an intense finish. Three Rainbow Warriors joined Stansberry in double-figures. Drew Buggs poured in 17 points, Samuta Avea scored all 11 of his points in the first half, and Bernardo da Silva finished with his first career-double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) in his second straight start.
 
Austen Awoskia scored 21 points to lead the Titans, who also got 16 points from Jackson Rowe.
 
It was UH's first game in 10 days but the 'Bows showed no rust whatsoever. UH came out of the blocks strong and built its lead to as many as 15 points on a pair of occasions, before a 13-3 run by the Titans made it a 36-31 game at the intermission.
 
The 'Bows went on a 9-2 run out of the locker room to get back to a double-digit lead and held a comfortable 64-48 lead with 8:30 remaining. However, the Titans made one last push and got within one, 69-68, on a pair of Awosika free throw with a little over a minute remining. However, Stansberry answered for UH on its next possession with a tough runner in the lane that but the 'Bows up by three – a lead they would not relinquish.  
 
The Rainbow Warriors look to start conference play 2-0 when they face defending league champions UC Irvine on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 7:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. HT.