HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team dropped a tight contest against Long Beach State, 50-49, Wednesday night at the Stan Sheriff Center. Michael Carter III sank the game-winning free throw with three seconds remaining to lift the Beach to the upset victory.
 
With their third loss in a row the Rainbow Warriors (14-9, 5-4) moved into a three-way tie for second-place in the Big West with UC Santa Barbara and CSUN. It also snapped UH's five-game home win streak and was the team's first loss in the SSC since a Christmas Day setback to Georgia Tech in the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic.
 
UH lost despite a 19-point effort from Eddie Stansberry. The senior guard drained 5-of-10 three-pointers. UH also got 13 points and a career-high nine rebounds and six assists from freshman Justin Webster.
 
Coming off a pair of road losses at UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly, UH looked to bounce-back at home. But UH went scoreless for nearly a seven-minute stretch in the first half, watching a seven-point lead turn into a two-point halftime deficit. UH trailed 24-22 going into the locker room. The 22 halftime points was tied for a season low.
 
The 'Bows continued to trail for nearly the entire second half before a Stansberry three-pointer tied the game, 47-47, with just under two minutes remaining. After a pair of defensive stops, UH took the lead, 49-47, on two free throws by Webster with 1:06 left.
 
But Carter hit a jumper on the very next possession and after a UH turnover, LBSU regained possession and Carter was fouled on a fadeaway jumper with three seconds left. Carter hit the first free throw and missed the second one. UH gathered the rebound and rushed up the court, but a desperation heave by Webster from beyond the three-point mark caromed off the backboard as time expired.
 
UH out-rebounded the Beach 40-31 and held them to just 39 percent shooting. However, UH shot just 33 percent for the game, including 6-of-25 on threes, and turned the ball over 16 times to come out with its lowest offensive output of the season.
 
The Rainbow Warriors will now face first-place UC Irvine in a nationally-televised "Whiteout" game on ESPN2 on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 7:00 p.m. At halftime, former UH great Bob Nash will be honored as part of UH men's basketball's first-ever jersey retirement.