RIVERSIDE, Calif.  – The University of Hawai'i came tantalizingly close to a road sweep in its opening weekend of Big West play, but ultimately fell to UC Riverside, 70-68, Saturday afternoon at the SRC Arena. Arinze Chidom's hit the game-winning shot with 2.1 seconds left to hand the Rainbow Warriors (3-1, 1-1 Big West) their first loss of the season.
 
UH overcame a 12-point second-half deficit and led by four points in with 1:20 left, but the Highlanders (4-2, 1-1) ended the game on an 8-2 run, capped by Chidom's left-handed hook shot in the lane.
 
Hawai'i lost despite a monster effort by Casdon Jardine who finished with 26 points and nine rebounds. The senior forward went 10-of-12 from the field and drilled all four of his three-point attempts. Jardine scored 16 of his points in the second half, the last of which came on a step-back jumper that gave UH a 68-65 lead with 53 seconds left.  
 
Jardine was the only Rainbow Warrior to finish in double-figures scoring. Junior Madut was the next-leading scorer with nine points. Madut, who scored 21 points in UH's win over Friday, was held scoreless for nearly three-quarters of the game. But the junior guard proved instrumental in UH's second-half rally scoring all nine of his points in the final 11 minutes
 
UH, which defeated UCR 88-83 on Friday, put themselves in position to win despite trailing for much of the game. UCR held a slim 35-34 lead at the break, but the Highlanders opened the second half with nine unanswered points to quickly take a double-digit lead. UCR built its lead to as many as 12 points with just under 17 minutes to play.
 
But the 'Bows slowly chipped and eventually took the lead with a 17-5 run that put them up by four points with seven minutes left. UH, however, couldn't hold. After Jardine's jumper put UH up three with 53 seconds, UCR answered with a Jock Perry three-pointer to tie the game. UH failed to convert on its next possession and the Highlanders retained the ball with 16 seconds left to set up Chidom's game-winning basket. Justin Webster's ensuing half-court heave at the final buzzer was well off the mark.
 
UH will now return home to face CSU Bakersfield in the first-ever meeting between the teams as Big West opponents on Friday, January 15 and Saturday, January 16. Tipoff for both games is at 7 p.m. at Simplifi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.