UH Vs. Utah Tech (11/15/25)

UH's Dre Bullock goes for a slammer against Utah Tech!

In its first meeting all time, the University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team turned back the Utah Tech Trailblazers, 68-62, to win the 2025 Outrigger Rainbow Classic Championship at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on Saturday!

Dre Bullock (23), Isaac Johnson (14), and Gytis Nemeikša (12), in his first start of the season, combined for 49 of UH's 68 total points with Johnson tallying a game-high 11 rebounds for a double-double.

Ethan Potter, Utah Tech's lead scorer, led the Trailblazers with 15 points and five rebounds. He was followed by Jusaun Holt's 14 points and five rebounds, and Noah Bolanga rounded out the double-digit scorers with 12 points and four rebounds.

UH shot out of the gates to score the first seven points of the game. It was punctuated by UH's lone triple of the game by Bullock. From that point forward, all triples made were from Utah Tech.

UH added to their lead and took an early 11-2 advantage nearly five minutes in. They led by as many as 12 in the closing stages.

Utah Tech's Madiba Owona made a jumper with 32 seconds left to cut the gap to nine, 31-20. UH still maintained that score despite a shot clock violation with under three seconds left.

With team captain, Harry Rouhliadeff sidelined for this game, it appeared UH would pull away to another dominant win, but Utah Tech was not so sure.

The second half started with both teams trading layups, but Utah Tech made an immediate push to move into UH's neighborhood.

UH did get its lead back to 10 off a Bullock slam dunk with 13:07 remaining, but that was very short lived.

Utah Tech made some clutch shots to pull within two possessions at times, and they did cut the gap down to a single point with 7:15 remaining, but they could not seize the lead then.

UH responded each time Utah Tech made a push. Thanks to a 6-0 UH run down the stretch, UH got its gap back again, but Utah Tech had one last gasp.

The Trailblazers cut the gap to a single point off of back-to-back triples from Chance Trujillo and Holt. It turned into a 7-0 Trailblazers run, and maybe the team's first lead.

Nemeikša came to UH's rescue with a layup on an assist from Johnson with 2:44 remaining. It began a mini 5-0 UH run, and the gap was back to two possessions.

Holt made another fast-break layup with 54 seconds to go to make it 64-60, UH, but that was the closest Utah Tech could get.

After Aaron Hunkin-Claytor missed two free throws with 21 seconds remaining, Bullock was fouled on two occasions for two free throws each, and he made all four for the final arithmetic.

For UH, it was the first time they had won back-to-back Rainbow Classics since they won four straight from 2001-2004.

Bullock was named to the All-Tournament team, and Johnson also was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 59th Outrigger Rainbow Classic.

UH improves to 4-1 in the 2025-26 season and will take on the Arizona State Sun Devils on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. Tipoff at the Stan Sheriff Center is scheduled for 7 p.m. HST, and you can listen to the game on ESPN Honolulu or watch the game on Spectrum Sports.