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Noel Coleman drive
60
Hawaii Hawaii 22-11,13-7 Big West
62
Winner Cal St. Fullerton CSF 19-12,12-6 Big West
Hawaii Hawaii
22-11,13-7 Big West
60
Final
62
Cal St. Fullerton CSF
19-12,12-6 Big West
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 F
Hawaii Hawaii 28 28 4 60
Cal St. Fullerton CSF 27 29 6 62

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Hawai‘i Falls in Overtime to Cal State Fullerton in Big West Quarterfinals

HENDERSON, Nev.  - The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team gave a spirited effort before ultimately falling to Cal State Fullerton 62-60 in overtime in the quarterfinals of the Hercules Tires Big West Championship Thursday afternoon at the Dollar Loan Center. 

UH (22-11), which entered the game winners of four of its last five games on the mainland, could not get over the Titans (19-12) who defeated UH for the second time this year in overtime. It marked UH's fourth straight loss to Cal State Fullerton which also bounced UH out of last year's tournament in the semifinal round.

The Titans, winners of seven straight,advanced to Friday's semifinals where they will meet No. 1 seed UC Irvine, a 75-51 quarterfinal winner over CSU Bakersfield. 

The Rainbow Warriors overcame a five-point deficit in the final minute of regulation, capped by Noel Coleman's dramatic three-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime. But CSUF scored the final five points of the overtime period to pull out the win.     

Samuta Avea led UH with 19 points and 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season in his final game in a UH jersey. Coleman finished with 14 points while JoVon McClanahan added 12 points and five assists.  Kamaka Hepa posted seven points and a team-high 12 rebounds in the last game of his two-year UH career . 

The game pitted the top two defensive teams in the conference who played two tight regular-season games. It was true to form on Thursday as well. The game went down to the wire for the third meeting this year. 

UH got off to a fast start scoring nine of the game's first 10 points, while applying intense defense pressure that forced the Titans to miss its first seven shots. The Titans however hung tough and the 'Bows ultimately took a narrow 28-27 lead into the locker. 

UH led for most of the second half, including by as many as seven points, but the 'Bows went into a scoring lull that allowed the Titans to build a 55-50 lead with less thant 80 seconds remaining in the game. Down three with five second left, UH had one last gasp, and Coleman who hit a three-pointer to force overtime in the first meeting this year, struck again with a long-distance bomb at the buzzer. 

Once in overtime, UH jumped out to an early lead following a jumper by McClanahan to make it 60-57 at the 3:21 mark. It would be the last points UH scored. The Titans answered shortly after with a three to tie it up and took the lead at 62-60 with 1:13 on the clock. McClanahan had a chance to tie game at the free throw line after being fouled with 3.4 seconds. However he missed the first free throw and UH could not secure a rebound and shot after he intentionally missed the second.

UH held the Titans to just 35 percent shooting for the game but committed 18 turnovers, while forcing just four. The Titans parlayed 20 points from those turnovers and doubled up UH in points in the paint (32-16).

Despite the loss, the Rainbow Warriors enjoyed a highly successful season that saw them claim a pair of preseason tournament titles and finish with their highest win total in seven years.
 
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