SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.  – In a roller coaster of a game, the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team fell to Cal Poly 79-75 in overtime  Saturday night at the Mott Athletic Center. With its second straight setback, UH fell to 14-8 overall and 5-3 in the Big West.
 
A week after overcoming a 17-point deficit to beat CSUN, UH nearly pulled off another dramatic comeback win. The Rainbow Warriors overcame a 15-point second-half deficit to force overtime. However, the Mustangs (7-16, 4-5 BW) scored the final seven points of the extra period to pull out the win.
 
UH lost despite huge efforts by Dawson Carper and Drew Buggs. Carper notched career highs in both points (20) and rebounds (11) for his first-ever double-double.  Buggs also had a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds while dishing out three assists. With his three assists, Buggs surpassed Troy Bowe as the school's all-time leader in assists, breaking a record that stood for nearly 30 years. The junior point guard now has 413 for his career. 
 
The 'Bows held a seven-point lead, 39-32, at half, but turned frigid in the second half. UH went scoreless for more than seven minutes as the Mustangs went on a 24-2 run – including 17 unanswered points – to take a 63-48 lead with less than 10 minutes left in the game.
 
But there was no quit in the 'Bows who continued to chip away. A Justin Webster three-pointer tied the game up with 1:08 and after the Mustangs took the lead, UH got a clutch shot from Buggs with 27 seconds left to help force overtime.
 
Webster, who finished with 11 points and a career-high seven rebounds, hit another big three-pointer with 52 seconds left in overtime to give UH a 75-72 lead. But the Mustangs scored seven straight to end the game, including five by freshman guard Colby Rogers who hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 24 seconds left.
 
UH out-rebounded Cal Poly, 48-36, but shot just 38 percent from the floor, including just 25 percent (6-of-24) on three-pointers.
 
The Rainbow Warriors now return home for a pair of games, beginning with its first meeting this year with Long Beach State. Tipoff for the game is at 7:00 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.