RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team blitzed UC Riverside from the jump en route to a dominating 88-45 road win on New Year's Day at SRC Arena. The Rainbow Warriors improved to 11-2 overall and 3-0 in the Big West with their seventh straight win.
The game was UH's first on the road since its season opener and the squad was unfazed. The 43-point win was the program's largest margin of victory ever in a Big West game as UH competes in its 14th and final season in the conference. It was also the team's largest-ever road victory.
UC Riverside's 45 points was a season-low by a UH opponent and tied for the lowest point total ever against a Big West regualr-season opponent (also vs. Cal Poly, 2018).
In their first game in 18 days, the 'Bows showed absolutely no rust, starting the game on a 15-2 run – including the game's first 10 points – in leading from wire-to-wire. UH tied its season high with 13 three-pointers (on 27 attempts) with eight different players connecting from deep.
Isaac Johnson drained three of his four three-point attempts and scored a game-high 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting while adding six rebounds and three assists. Gytis Nemeikša posted a near double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds. Isaac Finlinson also finished in double-digits with 10 points. All 10 players who saw action got in the scoring column.
UH built a double-digit lead less than three minutes into the game and led 15-2 less than five minutes in. The 'Bows drilled six of its first eight attempts from deep and went 8-of-16 in the first half alone to take a 45-27 lead into the locker room. UH turned the ball over just four times in the first 20 minutes.
The 'Bows didn't let up in the second half, in fact they accelerated even further by shooting 64 percent after the break. UH shot 54 percent for the game, nearly doubled-up the Highlanders (6-9, 1-2) on the glass, 46-24, and registered 21 assists on their 34 made field goals. The win was UH's fourth straight in Riverside.
The Rainbow Warriors next head south for a huge matchup with defending Big West champs UC San Diego on Saturday, January 3. Tipoff is 7:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. HT at Lion Tree Arena.
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