HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team pulled away from Pacific and captured the championship of the 58th OUTRIGGER Rainbow Classic with a 76-66 victory on Monday at the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
Marcus Greene and
Gytis Nemeikša scored 18 points each to lead the Rainbow Warriors (3-0) to the program's 16th Rainbow Classic title overall, third under 10th-year head coach
Eran Ganot, and its first since 2017.
Tanner Christensen scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Greene scored 16 points in the second half and joined Christensen on the All-Tournament team along with
Tom Beattie, who finished with 10 points.
Nemeiksa shot 7 for 11 from the field and snagged 10 rebounds to post the first double-double of his UH career. Nemeiksa and Greene accounted for the bulk of UH's 44-6 advantage in bench points.
UH trailed 37-35 at halftime then shot 53.8% from the field in the second half while limiting Pacific (3-1) to 34.4% shooting, including an 0-for-6 showing from 3-point range. Overall, UH held Pacific to 2-for-13 shooting for the game on 3-point attempts.
Much like their last game versus San Jose State, the Rainbow Warriors found themselves in a see-saw affair in the first half. UOP jumped out of the gates with the game's first six points and nine of the first 11. But UH responded with a 16-2 run, including 12 unanswered points, highlighted by a fast break layup and a three-pointer by Nemeiska to take an 18-11 lead.
UH built its lead to as many as eight points in the six minutes left in the first half. But UOP struck back with a 14-2 run of their own to reclaim the lead, 31-27, and the Tigers held a two-point edge at the break.
Greene scored on back-to-back layups to give UH its first lead of the second half at 44-42. The Warriors led 56-55 before separating from the Tigers with an 8-0 run sparked by a tip-in off the offensive boards by Nemeksa and capped by a Greene jumper in the paint to open up a 64-55 margin.
UH maintained control, stretching the lead to 12 on another Nemeiksa putback with 51 seconds left.
The game included a total of 51 fouls called and UH went 23 for 29 from the free-throw line while UOP finished 18 for 28.
Elijah Fisher led Pacific with a game-high 21 points and forward Elias Ralph added 17.
The Rainbow Warriors continue their season-opening homestand by taking on Weber State on Sunday, Nov. 17. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
All-Tournament Team
Donavan Yap, San Jose Stae
Elijah Fisher, Pacific
Elias Ralph, Pacific
Tom Beattie, Hawaii
Marcus Greene, Hawaii
Most Outstanding Player: Tanner Christensen, Hawai'i
#HawaiiMBB
