Hawaiʻi men's basketball outspeeds Bakersfield

'Bows hold off Bakersfield despite triple-less second half

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Make it 9 out of 10 at home.

 

The University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team managed to hold off a short-handed Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners squad in a 72-69 decision at the Stan Sheriff Center on Saturday.

 

UH led from start to finish and jumped out to an early 11-0 lead en route to the win. Samuta Avea scored 6 of those first 11 points, but he didn't score again after that due to early foul trouble.

 

Hawaiʻi used seven triples to ultimately pull away from the struggling CSUB (2-8) squad that had only eight players available. UH managed to lead throughout and withheld every push the Roadrunners made to take a 45-28 lead at the break.

 

In the second half, things got dicey. Bakersfield came out with an immediate run and set the tone early. Ultimately, CSUB cut the lead all the way down to 4 points, while UH went through a scoring drought that lasted almost 10 whole minutes. Fortunately, UH answered the bell, but they were ultimately held to just 6 field goals made in the second half.

 

CSUB converted the team's only triple in the final second thanks to Travis Henson at the buzzer for the final arithmetic.

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Did I think we'd win this game? Yes, I did. Bakersfield IS struggling, but this game was VERY DECEIVING in that second half. Fortunately, UH held on to improve to 7-3 in Big West Conference play.

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Up next is a two-game road trip at UC Davis on Thursday, Feb. 2, and at Cal Poly on Saturday, Feb. 4.