HONOLULU –  The University of Hawaii men's basketball team dropped it final home game of the season with a 49-43 loss to UC Riverside on Saturday at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Rainbow Warriors fell to 16-12 overall and 7-7 in the Big West.

In a defensive slugfest, UC Riverside (16-15, 6-9 BW) played the role of spoiler on Senior Night, avenging a 56-55 loss to UH a little more than a week ago. UCR entered the game as the league's top defensive team and held UH to just 43 points, the program 's lowest output since a 58-37 loss to Oklahoma State in November 1998.
 
Still, the 'Bows played some tough defense of their own and were in position to win the game with a one-point lead with four minutes left. The Highlanders, however, ended the game on a 10-3 run to pick up the road win. With the loss the Rainbow Warriors dropped to fifth in the Big West, though they are still just one game out of second place.
 
The first half was a tight back-and-forth affair with neither team leading by more than four points. UH went scoreless for nearly six minutes late in the second half but gained some momentum going into the locker room on an emphatic Samuta Avea dunk and an Eddie Stansberry three-pointer-- his first points of the game. The game was tied at the break, 24-24.
 
The second half continued to be nip-and-tuck. UH took a 40-39 lead on a trio of Stansberry free throws with 4:38 left. But the Highlander scored the next six points—including a pair of baskets by Arinze Chidom—to spark the key game-ending run. Chidom finished the game with 14 points and nine rebounds.
 
Avea lead UH with 10 points—the only Rainbow Warrior to finish in double-digits. Stansberry was limited to six points and fellow Zigmars Raimo finished with nine points in the final home appearance for the pair of seniors, who were honored at the conclusion of the game.
 
UH finished the game shooting just 32 percent for the game, including just 21 percent in the second half. The Highlanders also out-rebounded the 'Bows, 37-27.
 
UH now heads to the road to end the regular-season. First up is a meeting with UC Davis on Thursday, March 6. Tipoff is 7:00 p.m./5:00 p.m. HT.