NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – The Hawai'i men's basketball team ran into a red-hot CSUN squad in a 84-60  loss  Saturday night at the Premier America Credit Union Arena. CSUN shot 53 percent from the field and led from start to finish in winning their fifth straight game.  

Despite the loss, UH (18-6, 10-4) remained in first place in the Big West standings. UC Santa Barbara, which sat a half game behind UH entering Saturday, fell at Cal Poly to remain behind the 'Bows.

A month ago UH defeated CSUN, 89-68, the Matadors most lopsided Big West loss of the season. On Saturday, CSUN (16-10, 9-5) flipped the script, as UH suffered its largest margin of defeat this year at hands of the  Matadors who improved to 12-1 at home this year. 

Larry Hughes II scored 22 of his game-high 27 points in the first half to lead CSUN, while Josiah Davis added 20 points and five assists. Isaac Finlinson was the only Rainbow Warrior in double-figure scoring, leading UH with 13 points. 

UH entered the game leading the country in 3-point field goal percentage – including holding Big West opponents to just 25 percent from beyond the arc. But CSUN shot 9-of-17 from distance, led by Hughes who made four of his five attempts in the first half.  

CSUN scored 10 of the game's first 12 points and built a double-digit lead just five minutes into the game to set the tone. UH stayed within striking distance, but Hughes continued his hot hand to give CSUN a 40-28 lead going into the locker room. UH shot just 30 percent in the first half and committed 10 turnovers which CSUN parlayed into 17 points. 

The 'Bows quickly scored the first five points of the second half to cut the deficit to seven, but the Matadors answered with a 20-5 run to take a commanding 60-38 lead just five minutes into the half and never looked back, building its lead to as many as 30 points while shooting a sizzling 62 percent in the second half. 

UH finished the game shooting 36 percent and committing 18 turnovers. 

The Rainbow Warriors now return home for a pair of games with Cal Poly on Thursday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. and a big nationally televised matchup versus UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, Feb. 21. Tipoff for that game is 5:00 p.m. as that night will feature the jersey retirement of UH great AC Carter.