HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team saw its four-game win streak come to an end with an 83-76 loss to Arizona State Thursday at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
The Rainbow Warriors (4-2) led for the majority of the game, including an eight-point lead with less than eight minutes left, but succumbed to a late rally by the Sun Devils.
The loss spoiled a pair of outstanding performances by
Isaac Johnson and
Aaron Hunkin-Claytor. Johnson tallied a game-high 23 points — going 6 for 11 from the field and 9 for 9 from the free-throw line — and finished with seven rebounds and two blocks. Hunkin-Claytor poured in a career-high 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including two three-pointers.
Bryce Ford led four Arizona State players in double figures with 20 points. Anthony Johnson finished with 16 points and Maurice Odum added 15 points, six assists and clutch play down the stretch for the Sun Devils (4-1).
UH landed the first punch of the game. The 'Bows got a pair of Johnson dunks and five points from Gytis Nemeiksa to take an early lead and built the margin to as many as eight points early on. UH maintained the lead for the majority of the first half until a Noah Meeusen three-pointer with less than a minute left gave the Sun Devils its first advantage of the game. But a pair of
Isaac Finlinson free throws gave the 'Bows a 35-34 edge heading into the locker room.
UH built its lead back up in the second half and the 'Bows went up 65-57 when Johnson buried a three-pointer at the shot-clock buzzer with 7:56 left.
But the Sun Devils answered with back-to-back three pointers and a layup by Allen Mukeba to tie the game up just two minutes later. Two Odum free throws pushed the ASU run to 10-0 and gave the Sun Devils their second lead of the night at 67-65 lead with 5:31 left.
Dre Bullock tied it again at the 4:37 mark, but Mukeba answered seconds later and an Odum three-pointer gave ASU a 72-67 cushion with less than four minutes left. UH closed to within two on two occasions, at 74-72 on a Hunkin-Claytor three-pointer with 2:23 left, and again at 76-74 when Johnson finished a drive with a thunderous dunk at the 1:37 mark.
But ASU responded with the next four points, including a jumper by Odum with 37 seconds that gave ASU a 80-74 lead and the Sun Devils hung on from there to close out the game.
The Rainbow Warriors return to the court on Monday, Nov. 24 when they take on intraisland rival Hawai'i Pacific. Tipoff is 7:00 p.m. at Bankoh Arena.
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