DAVIS, Calif. – The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team erased a 13-point deficit with less than five minutes left to stun UC Davis, 67-65, Thursday night at the Pavilion. Samuta Avea nailed the game-winning three-pointer with 3.8 seconds left to cap a furious comeback and give the Rainbow Warriors a key road win.
 
With the win UH improved to 17-12 overall and 8-7 in the Big West and remain in contention for the number two seed in next week's Big West Tournament.
 
UH trailed 62-49 with 4:42 left but went on an 18-3 surge to close the game. Avea fueled the comeback with 12 points, hitting all four of his three-point attempts, including the dramatic game-winner from the corner. The junior forward finished with a career-high 18 points.
 
It was de ja vu all over again for the teams as UH stung the Aggies (14-17, 8-7 BW) for a comeback win for the second straight time. In the first meeting in Honolulu on Jan. 25,  UH rallied from a nine-point hole with four minutes left with Eddie Stansberry hitting a similar three-point dagger from the corner with three seconds left.   
 
The Aggies led for the majority of the second half after they seized control with a 13-0 run bridging the halves. The 'Bows led 30-25 with less than 30 seconds left in the firt half, but the Aggies hit back to back three-pointers in the final 22 seconds, including a three-quarters court heave by Ezra Manjon at the halftime buzzer to take a 31-30 edge at the half.
 
The Aggies then scored the first seven points out of the locker room and eventually built a double-digit  lead midway through the second half, led by Manjon's 10 points after the break.
 
UH, however, wouldn't fold. After Avea hit the go-ahead bucket with three seconds, they forced a UC Davis charge on the ensuing inbound. UCD fouled UH and Justin Hemsley hit one-of-two free throws with one second left for the final difference.
 
Zigmars Raimo posted 14 points and seven rebounds. Hemsley finished with 11 points, while Stansberry added 10 points. Manjon led UC Davis with 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting.
 
The Rainbow Warriors next head to Southern California for its regular-season finale at CSUN on Saturday, March 7. A win over the Matadors will assure UH no less than a third-place finish in the Big West. Tipoff is 7:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. HT.