Hawaiʻi men's basketball beats UC Santa Barbara in overtime!!
'Bows defeat UCSB in overtime thriller, earn first win since 2022!
The jinx is finally over!
In what was their final matchup as Big West opponents, the University of HawaiÊ»i Men’s Basketball team pulled off a triumphant victory over the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos in an overtime thriller, 78-75, on Saturday! UH great Anthony Carter was honored at halftime and was treated to UH's first win over UC Santa Barbara since 2022 in the SSC! The victory also vaulted UH into a three-way tie for the top spot in the Big West Standings with CSUN, and UC Irvine, who lost to UC San Diego at home earlier this week!
Dre Bullock led the ‘Bows with 21 points and seven rebounds! Isaiah Kerr came up huge with 15 of his career-high 17 points coming in the final 25 minutes. Harry Rouhliadeff added 10 points and four rebounds before he fouled out.
Colin Smith led the Gauchos with 19 points and eight rebounds! Aidan Mahaney was next with 16 points and three rebounds before he fouled out in overtime! Marvin McGhee IV had a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds as well!
UCSB's Mahaney drew first blood with a triple just 17 seconds in but fouled UH's Bullock responded back with a successful 3-point play to tie things up!
Santa Barbara had an early 11-10 lead with 13:24 to go off a McGhee free throw, but UH's Gytis Nemeikša banked a corner triple to put UH in the lead. That started a 10-2 UH run to put UH ahead, 20-13, and was punctuated on a Bullock triple.
UH was able to keep a handful of a lead, but they fell victim to a 14-5 Santa Barbara run in the final 5:31 of the first half which was punctuated by a CJ Shaw triple with three seconds left. As a result, UH trailed, 32-30, at halftime!
During halftime, former UH point guard Anthony Carter had his #23 jersey retired! He became just the second Rainbow Warrior to have his jersey retired -- the other being former Fabulous Five member Bob Nash.
In the second half, UCSB scored the first six points, and it appeared that UH would have trouble from that point forward.
UH made up those six points via an 8-0 run that began with a Rouhliadeff free throw and ended with a Rouhliadeff tip-in! UH now found themselves down one, 38-37, with 16:10 to go!
Despite a 6-0 UCSB run, UH's Kerr put himself on the radar when he buried a triple following two made McGhee free throws. UH then fell behind by as many as eight shortly thereafter, but they refused to fold!
A 13-3 UH run put the 'Bows back on top, but that did not last long, as UCSB's McGhee buried a triple to put the Gauchos back up, 54-53, with 8:28 to go. McGhee's triple ignited a 9-0 UCSB run, and the Gauchos were back up six, 59-53.
UH did not back down! While Kerr scored nine points in the second half alone, teammates Rouhliadeff and Hunter Erickson took matters into their own hands their way! With 1:11 to go, and UH still trailing, 66-62, Erickson made a clutch layup to cut the gap down to two, 66-64! Bullock missed a layup on UH's next possession, but Rouhliadeff got the offensive rebound and buried a jumper to tie the score at 66!
With seven seconds left, McGhee executed and made a layup to put UCSB back in front, 68-66, and it looked like that was the dagger for UH's hopes, but UH's Rouhliadeff had no plans to let that become reality!
Erickson missed a layup with 4.5 seconds left, but Rouhliadeff came to the rescue with a vital tip-in to even things up at 68!
Mahaney tried to be the hero for UC Santa Barbara with a mid-court heave, but it bounced off, and overtime was needed to settle things once and for all!
The extra frame was all about UH's Kerr, as buried a triple just nine seconds in to put UH back on top, but it was far from done!
UCSB's Smith went 1-of-2 at the free throw line following an Isaac Johnson foul. Then, Zion Sensley, son of former UH Rainbow Warrior Julian Sensley, buried a triple to put the Gauchos down one, 73-72, with 4:03 to go. Hosana Kitenge gave UCSB the lead via a layup with 2:45 to go!
Kerr rose to the occasion and gave UH the lead back, 75-74, via a layup of his own after Erickson missed a triple, and Bullock got the offensive rebound. In all the hoopla, Kerr was fouled on that layup by Kitenge, which ended Kitenge's night overall! Kerr sank the additional free throw to complete the three-point play, but it was not done yet!
Erickson and Johnson each went 1-of-2 from the free throw line after fouls by UCSB's Shaw and Michael Simcoe, respectively. UH still held a 78-75 lead, but Santa Barbara had one last chance to force double overtime.
With 3.2 seconds left, Shaw's desperation triple did not go, and UH halted what was an eight-game skid against UC Santa Barbara!
In total, UH committed just nine turnovers to UCSB's 12! The 'Bows also outscored the Gauchos in every category except assists! They won the battle on points in the paint 36-26, points off turnovers 18-13, second-chance points 17-4, and bench points 25-18!
UH improves to 19-7 overall and has won 11 of their last 12 home games! They will hit the road for the last time before the Big West Tournament, beginning with the UC Davis Aggies at the University Credit Union Center on Thursday, Feb. 26. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 pm HST, and you can listen on the radio at ESPN Honolulu.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball botched by Cal Poly Mustangs!
'Bows fall victim to slow start against Cal Poly and lose two straight
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It was a night to forget all around!
The University of HawaiÊ»i Men’s Basketball team got off to a horrible start and fell to the Cal Poly Mustangs, 85-79, at Bankoh Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center on Thursday! Despite the loss — only UH’s second at home — UH officially clinched a spot in the 2026 Big West Tournament! It was also the first time UH fell to Cal Poly on home court since 2015!
Dre Bullock led the ‘Bows with 22 points and nine rebounds! Isaac Johnson was next with 18 points and was a perfect 10-of-10 at the free throw line.
Hamad Mousa led Cal Poly with 24 points and nine rebounds. Cayden Ward chipped in 19 of his own and six rebounds. Peter Bandelj added 12, and Troy Plumtree chipped in 10 to round out the double-digit scoring Mustangs.
Cal Poly got off to a fast start and led 15-2 by the first media timeout. That included the first seven consecutive points.
Johnson got UH on the board, but UH kept getting beaten off the dribble and gave up layups to Cal Poly. Little by little, UH managed to find a rhythm and got back into Cal Poly’s neighborhood.
A 14-2 UH run made things a contest again, which included five straight made field goals. UH got within one, but did not make a field goal for the final 8:10 of the first half!
Cal Poly ended the first half on a 9-2 run that was punctuated on a coast-to-coast buzzer beating layup by Ward to take a 44-35 lead over UH.
UH showed some fire in the second half and tied the score at 52 thanks to a 7-0 run with all seven coming from Bullock alone.
Cal Poly shut UH down and scored the next nine unanswered and forced UH to start from scratch once again!
Yacine Toumi provided some help with seven points total in the second half. That included four critical points to put UH down two, 64-62, with 6:30 to go!
Cal Poly again answered via Bandelj with a three-point play. That started a 9-1 Cal Poly run, and UH could not force a rally.
UH shot a woeful 3-of-23 (13%) from 3-point range to Cal Poly’s 8-of-28 (29%) and committed 17 turnovers to Cal Poly’s 13. The difference was that Cal Poly pummeled UH on points off turnovers, 22-4.
UH will hope to bounce back after dropping two straight games for the first time in conference play, and ending what was a 10-game win streak at home going back to November 20 against Arizona State. They will return to the Stan Sheriff Center on Saturday, Feb. 21 on a nationally televised game against the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos on ESPNU. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 pm HST.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball falls at Cal State Northridge!
'Bows stumble badly at Northridge, still tied atop standings
They will have to wait longer for an automatic seat in the Big West Tournament!
The University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team never got on track and came away the losers at the Premier America Credit Union Arena, 84-60, on Saturday! Fortunately, UH still remains tied at the top of the standings at 10-4 with UC Irvine after Cal Poly beat UC Santa Barbara earlier this week.
Isaac Finlinson was the only Rainbow Warrior to crack double-digits, as he ended the game with 13 points to lead UH.
Larry Hughes II led the Matadors with 27 points with 22 coming in the first half alone! He was also 5-for-6 from 3-point range and a perfect 6-for-6 at the free throw line. Josiah Davis added 20 points on 9-for-15 shooting. Jai Chisolm had 14 points off the bench.
CSUN shot out to an early 10-2 lead right out of the gates! Hughes hit four triples in the first half alone to give the Matadors a double-digit lead early.
UH found a rhythm and went on an 8-0 run to cut the gap to two, 15-13; unfortunately, CSUN was just too much.
At halftime, Northridge took a healthy lead, 40-28. For UH, Isaac Johnson led UH in scoring with just seven points.
The second half got no better for the 'Bows. Despite scoring five points early, CSUN shut them down with a 20-5 run and never looked back.
In total, UH shot just 36% and committed 18 turnovers to CSUN's 12 and suffered their third straight road loss at CSUN.
UH drops to 18-6 overall! The 'Bows will come home for two games at the Stan Sheriff Center beginning with Cal Poly on Thursday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. HST. After that is a nationally televised game against UC Santa Barbara at 5 p.m. HST which will feature the jersey retirement of former Rainbow Warrior Anthony Carter. You can listen on the radio at ESPN Honolulu, or watch the Cal Poly game on Spectrum Sports, and the UCSB game on ESPNU.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball sweeps Cal State Bakersfield!
'Bows pick up big win at Bakersfield, now lead Big West standings!
No win was bigger than this one!
The University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team traveled to the Icardo Center in Bakersfield, CA to take on the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners for the final time and got the final say, 89-74, on Thursday! Add in that Cal Poly defeated UC Irvine earlier this week, and UH now sits on top of the Big West standings!
Dre Bullock led a five-pack of double-digit scoring 'Bows with 19 points. Harry Rouhliadeff and Isaac Johnson chipped in 17 apiece. Gytis Nemeikša was next with 12 off the bench, and Isaac Finlinson added 10.
Former Long Beach State player A.J. George led Bakersfield with 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting. Dailen Smith was not far behind with 20. Ronald Jessamy was the last Roadrunner to crack double-digits with 13.
Rouhliadeff scored first with a triple just 18 seconds in! Both UH and Bakersfield were in close proximity through the first eight minutes of the first half!
Bakersfield never led by more than three points, but UH was the team that turned the tides first! After several lead changes, Finlinson gave UH the lead for good with a triple at the 13:09 mark! That started a 9-0 UH run and turned a two-point deficit into a 23-16 lead!
The Roadrunners tried hard, but UH responded with an 18-6 surge to extend its lead. They did not hit a triple in the first half while UH made six of them.
At halftime, UH took a healthy lead, 43-32, with Johnson and Bullock leading UH's scoring at 11 each.
Bakersfield began the second half with six of the first eight points scored. The gap was down to eight just like that.
UH answered the bell then. A Johnson dunk generated a 21-6 run to give UH its biggest lead of 23, 66-43, with under 12 minutes to go; however, Bakersfield did not fold up shop!
The Roadrunners used a 16-2 run, including 13 unanswered, to cut the gap to just nine, but that was the closest they got! That included their lone triple of the game from Smith.
UH did not self-destruct though and got their gap back! That began with a Johnson jumper with 7:04 to go. UH would not look back from then on and won their third consecutive conference game; it was also the eighth time in the last nine meetings that UH came away the winners!
UH improves to 10-3 in the Big West standings and 18-5 overall! The 'Bows will wrap up their road trip with a contest at the Premier America Credit Union Arena against the Cal State Northridge Matadors on Saturday, Feb. 14. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. HST, and you can listen on the radio at ESPN Honolulu.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball defeats UC San Diego with a vengeance!
'Bows get back on top over UC San Diego with 5-point victory
Revenge is always sweet!
After a disappointing 10-point loss to the UC San Diego Tritons last month, the University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team got one back with a clutch win, 72-67, at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on Saturday! UH now improves to 9-3 in the Big West standings and are tied with first place UC Irvine, who lost to UC Santa Barbara, 84-79, earlier this week!
Isaac Johnson led UH with 20 points and nine rebounds on 8-of-14 shooting with 17 coming in the first half! Isaac Finlinson was next with 15 points. Gytis Nemeikša chipped in all of UH's bench points at 11; he also had five rebounds and accounted for three of UH's six total blocks. Dre Bullock chipped in 10 points and seven key rebounds while Hunter Erickson added nine points and a team-high 10 rebounds, too.
UC San Diego was led by former Rainbow Warrior Tom Beattie's 14 points. Hudson Mayes was next with a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds and UCSD's lone block of the game. Alex Chaikin and Bol Dengdit each chipped in 11 points themselves.
UH began the game with immediate fire via an 11-0 run and prompted an early timeout from UCSD! Johnson had scored nine of those points during that run which began with a triple. He sank a second one later in the first half.
UCSD did not concede to a cakewalk and chipped away at UH's lead. Although the Tritons fell behind by as many as 12 early on, they steadily got into UH's neighborhood. There was also a point in the first half where Beattie and Nemeikša had a verbal exchange that resulted in Beattie getting booed by the SSC crowd each time he had the ball.
By halftime, UH led all 20 minutes and took a scant lead, 34-32.
In the second half, it was UCSD that came out scorching hot! They missed only four of their first 11 shots and took their first lead off a Beattie triple over a minute in! UCSD then took as much as a five-point lead on two occasions.
Johnson, who had 17 at the end of the first half, was unable to have a big second half, so Finlinson had his turn!
UH had gone through a scoring drought of over three minutes with a bunch of missed 3-pointers. Nemeikša stopped that drought with a layup in the paint with 13:11 remaining.
That Nemeikša layup was the start of a 20-5 UH run! Finlinson gave UH the lead for good on a triple with 10:05 remaining, but UCSD refused to quit!
With 3:20 to go, UH's Erickson buried a triple to put UH up by 10! Shortly after that was when Johnson was issued a technical foul, but UCSD's Chaiken went 1-of-2 at the free throw line.
Refusing to fold, UCSD's Leo Beath sank a triple with 14 seconds left! It was now 69-67, UH! Ultimately, that turned out to be UCSD's last field goal.
UH's Erickson went 1-of-2 at the free throw line off a Mayes foul, and UCSD's Aidan Burke's forced jumper missed. Beattie fouled Bullock, and Bullock sank both free throws to lock things up!
UH improves to 17-5 in the 2025-26 season and won its 10th consecutive home game of the season. UH will hit the road for two games beginning with the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners on Thursday, Feb. 12. Tipoff at the Icardo Center is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. HST, and you can listen on the radio at ESPN Honolulu.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball finds pot of gold in Long Beach State!
'Bows survive scare at Long Beach State and escape with victory!
After a disappointing 11-point loss at UC Irvine, the University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team survived a scrappy rally from the Long Beach State Beach and won, 89-82, at the Long Beach State Financial Credit Union Pyramid on Saturday! UH now improves to 8-3 in the Big West standings and are a half-game out of first place UC Irvine!
Dre Bullock led UH with 26 points and nine rebounds on 10-of-17 shooting! Isaac Finlinson followed with 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting and was 3-of-4 from 3-point range. Isaac Johnson added 14 points of his own as well.
Shaquil Bender and Petar Majstorovic led Long Beach State with 22 points each with Bender going 4-of-7 from 3-point range.
Both teams were close out of the gates, but Long Beach's Bender started out with four straight made triples and gave LBSU a 9-point lead early. A flagrant foul on Dallas Washington ​resulted in two made free throws from UH's Johnson, and LBSU's lead did not last long.
Johnson's two made free throws were part of a 13-2 Hawaiʻi run. UH took the lead off of two made free throws by Harry Rouhliadeff.
Long Beach did not fold and still kept things close with UH. They would even retake the lead off a Washington triple with 4:11 remaining.
UH retook the lead for good with 1:34 to go off of two more Johnson free throws. That was part of an 8-0 Hawaiʻi run to end the first half! At halftime, UH erased a 3-point gap and took a 5-point lead, 36-31.
Long Beach began the second half with a bit of fire! They scored four of the first six points and cut UH's gap to just three off a Leopold Levillain driving layup.
Bullock took control of things for the 'Bows and ignited a 10-0 run. Finlinson buried a couple of triples as part of that run! UH was able to balloon its lead to 15 off a Johnson triple with 8:16 remaining.​​
Long Beach refused to fold and began to chip away at that lead. Their only hiccup was a technical foul on Majstorovic with 6:52 remaining when LBSU had cut the gap to 10, 70-60.​​
Long Beach continued to dig and cut UH's gap down to five with 1:39 remaining off a Majstorovic layup.
Two more made Majstorovic free throws put LBSU down one with 54 seconds left, but UH thankfully answered the bell.
Bullock buried a step-back jumper with 28 seconds to go to put UH back up three, but it was far from over. On the next possession, UH got a lucky break when LBSU's Bender turned it over with 13 seconds left. Bullock and Johnson buried UH's final four free throws for the final score.
UH improves to 16-5 in the 2025-26 season. UH will return home for a single game against the UC San Diego Tritons on Saturday. Tipoff at the Stan Sheriff Center is scheduled for 7 p.m. HST, and you can watch the game on Spectrum Sports or listen on the radio at ESPN Honolulu.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball denied of season sweep over UC Irvine
'Bows no match for Irvine's Henry, Evans, and fall in overtime!
Despite a valiant and spirited effort, the University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team still came up short to the UC Irvine Anteaters, 87-76, in overtime at the Bren Events Center on Thursday! The loss put UH in a tie for second place with UC Santa Barbara, who pummeled UC San Diego, 62-48, earlier this week.
Isaac Johnson scored all of his 17 points in the second half to lead UH! Harry Rouhliadeff was next in line with 15 points. Gytis Nemeikša was next with 13 points; both Rouhliadeff and Nemeikša were 3-of-6 and 3-of-7 from 3-point range respectively and each chipped in six rebounds. Isaiah Kerr came off the bench for 10 points and a rebound, but Isaac Finlinson chipped in a game-high 11 rebounds with six points, all from 3-point range.
Kyle Evans and Jurian Dixon each chipped in double-doubles with 19 points for both, 11 rebounds for Evans, and 10 rebounds for Dixon; Evans also accounted for all seven of Irvine's blocks! Andre Henry chipped in 17 and came up big in the overtime period with as much as seven points scored. Tama Isaac chipped in 15, and Harrison Carrington added 10.
Irvine drew first blood with the first four points of the game, but UH went on a 6-0 run via two Rouhliadeff triples to take a brief lead.
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UH's 3-point shooting kept them close by. Nemeikša and Dre Bullock hit a triple each to keep the game nip and tuck.
Irvine got hot and ended the first half on a 14-7 run to take a 37-28 halftime lead. That was capped by a Henry triple at the buzzer.
UH began the second half with some fire! A Finlinson triple and a Johnson dunk resulted in an early 5-0 UH run, but UH's momentum got quashed right away off of back-to-back Irvine field goals.
UH did not quit and executed a 12-2 run to get into Irvine's neighborhood! They finally took the lead, 50-49 off a Rouhliadeff layup with 12:59 remaining!
Irvine's Henry responded back on the next possession and gave Irvine the lead back off a floater.
UH had an answer to that and went on another 10-2 run with Kerr scoring the first five points of that run. It still went down to the wire.
With 5:40 remaining and UH leading 62-60, Irvine went on a 10-0 run, and it looked like curtains for UH, but UH did not think so!
With 1:45 to go, Rouhliadeff buried a clutch triple to put UH down, 69-67. Although UCI's Isaac got the good jumper on the next possession, Johnson then buried a triple of his own to put UH down, 71-70!
Irvine's Evans went 1-of-2 at the free throw line off a Nemeikša foul with 15 seconds left. Then, Isaac committed a foul on UH's Johnson for two free throws with just four seconds left.
Johnson sank both free throws and tied the score again at 72.
Irvine hoped to give UH some extra payback after Hunter Erickson stung them with his buzzer beater in Honolulu on Jan. 10, but Carrington's jumper bounced out, and overtime was needed to settle things!
Irvine shut UH down immediately in overtime and scored the first seven points to lock up the win. They would ultimately win the overtime period, 15-4, and send UH home the losers.
UH drops to 15-5 in the 2025-26 season. UH will conclude its road trip on Saturday, Jan. 31 against Long Beach State. Tipoff at the Walter Pyramid is scheduled for 11 a.m. HST, and you can watch the game on Spectrum SportsNet or listen on the radio at ESPN Honolulu.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball tames Northridge Matadors and win again
12 triples enough for Hawaiʻi to turn back Cal State Northridge!
Make it nine in a row at home!
The University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team closed out another homestand with an 89-68 win over the Cal State Northridge Matadors at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on Thursday!
Isaac Johnson led the 'Bows with 18 points and seven rebounds! Gytis Nemeikša was next with 16 points and six rebounds; both Johnson and Nemeikša were 3-of-4 and 3-of-5 from 3-point range respectively. Dre Bullock chipped in 13 points himself, along with seven rebounds; Isaac Finlinson and Hunter Erickson added 11 points and 10 points respectively with six rebounds each.
Larry Hughes II led the Matadors with 19 points and two rebounds. He was followed by Mahmoud Fofana's 14 points and five rebounds. Josiah Davis and Joshua O'Garro added 11 each with O'Garro chipping in a game-high 11 rebounds for a double-double. James Evans Jr. added 10 points and three rebounds.
UH and CSUN had trouble buying a field goal until CSUN's Hughes drew first blood under 90 seconds in.
UH's Johnson responded on the next possession with a put-back off a missed Bullock triple.
Neither team got a solid rhythm going, and many up close shots did not drop through the netting. Fortunately, UH led most of the first half. By the first media timeout, UH held a small 7-4 lead off a Nemeikša triple.
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UH was able to spurt into a good-sized lead, 23-16, with 7:51 remaining, but they fell victim to a 9-2 CSUN run, and things were tied at 25 all.
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In the final five minutes, UH got hot and nailed their final four shots. That included triples from Finlinson and Johnson, whose was at the buzzer.
At halftime, UH took a 40-34 advantage.
UH spared Northridge a triple to begin the second half. Johnson continued his hot shooting with back-to-back triples as part of a 15-2 UH run, including 12 unanswered. Just like that, UH found themselves up, 55-39, and would never look back.
For UH, this is now their ninth consecutive win at home in 2025-26! They shot an astonishing 64% in the second half and romped Northridge in bench points, 31-3!
UH improves to 15-4 in the 2025-26 season and remain tied at the top of the Big West Standings with UC Irvine at 7-2. Irvine barely squeaked by UC San Diego, 61-59, at UCSD earlier this week. UH will hit the road on Thursday, Jan. 29 against UC Irvine. Tipoff at the Bren Events Center is scheduled for 6 p.m. HST, and you can watch the game on ESPNU or listen on the radio at ESPN Honolulu.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball out-speeds Cal State Bakersfield!
Dre Bullock cracks 1,000 points in Hawaiʻi win over Bakersfield!
History was made!
The University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team avenged its 15-point loss to UC Santa Barbara and sped past the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners, 98-71, at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on Thursday!
Dre Bullock led the 'Bows with 17 points and 12 rebounds for a double-double, and he cracked 1,000 career points along the way! Isaiah Kerr was next with 16 points and five rebounds. Isaac Johnson chipped in 12, Harry Rouhliadeff and Gytis Nemeikša each added 11 points and six rebounds. Yacine Toumi added 10 points and seven rebounds of his own.
It was the Dailen Smith show for Cal State Bakersfield, as he led the Roadrunners and all players with 28 points and two rebounds, but 20 of his points came at the free throw line. Mike Price was the only other Roadrunner to crack double digits, as he finished with 12.
UH got out to a firing start via a Bullock dunk! They took an early 10-2 lead and never looked back from then on.
Bakersfield could not buy many buckets, and most of their players got two or three fouls early on. Tom Mark was also issued a technical foul early on.
UH led by as many as 21 points with Bullock logging a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds by halftime! They did all that without the services of point guard Aaron Hunkin-Claytor, who is out indefinitely with a left foot injury.
At halftime, UH took a commanding lead, 48-30.
UH began the second half with more fire via a Johnson put-back off a missed Rouhliadeff shot. They never let their lead dip under 15. With 15:20 to go, Bullock sank a triple to crack 1,000 career points!
All 10 Rainbow Warriors got in the scoring column, including A.J. Economou and Hunter Carter; both hit a triple in the waning minutes of the second half!
For UH, this is their fifth straight win over Bakersfield in Honolulu and their eighth in their last nine meetings going back to 2022!
UH improves to 14-4 in the 2025-26 season and remain tied at the top of the Big West Standings with UC Irvine at 6-2. They will take on the Cal State Northridge Matadors on Saturday, Jan. 24. Tipoff at the Stan Sheriff Center is scheduled for 7 p.m. HST, and you can watch the game on Spectrum Sports or listen to the game on ESPN Honolulu.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball falls again to Santa Barbara Gauchos!
Lousy opening stanza leaves Hawaiʻi the losers at Santa Barbara.
They won't be winning in Santa Barbara anytime soon.
The University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team got off to a slow start and ultimately fell to the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos, 77-62 at the Thunderdome on Saturday! This was the last time for the foreseeable future that UH and UCSB would face off against each other.
Harry Rouhliadeff and Isaiah Kerr both scored 13 points to lead the 'Bows with Rouhliadeff getting two rebounds, and Kerr was 3-for-4 from 3-point range. Isaac Johnson rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points, and he chipped in two rebounds.
UCSB was led by Aiden Mahaney's 17 points; he was one of five double-digit scoring Gauchos.
UH got a bad start and missed their first nine shots while UCSB took an early 7-0 lead. UH tried everything they could, but four turnovers in the first few minutes ultimately did them in.
Kerr came off the bench and provided his spark. Rouhliadeff also sank a triple, but UH could get no closer than 15.
At halftime, UCSB took a giant 40-21 lead over UH.
UH tried to make some early moves and did so by scoring the first seven points of the second half; unfortunately, Santa Barbara responded and extinguished any further momentum.
With over 10 minutes remaining, UH went on a 12-2 run that cut the gap down to seven, but Santa Barbara again stymied that rally with eight unanswered of their own, and UH could get no closer than that.
The 'Bows will leave the Big West with just one career win in the Thunderdome -- 2016; however, there is some good news: UH remains tied with UC Irvine at 5-2 for the top spot on the Big West leaderboard after Irvine fell to UC Davis, 75-72, earlier this week.
UH drops to 13-4 in the 2025-26 season. They will return home for two matches against Cal State Bakersfield on Thursday, Jan. 22, and against Cal State Northridge on Saturday, Jan. 24. Tipoff for both games at the Stan Sheriff Center is scheduled for 7 p.m. HST, and you can watch the game on Spectrum Sports or listen to the game on ESPN Honolulu.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball routs Cal Poly Mustangs again!
13-4 second half run results in 20-point road win for Hawaiʻi!
The University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team got back in the win column over the Cal Poly Mustangs, 86-66, on Thursday at Mott Athletics Center!
Gytis Nemeikša led the 'Bows with 21 points off the bench on 10-of-15 shooting and added 11 rebounds for a double-double! Dre Bullock tied his career-high 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting and had a game-high six steals. Hunter Erickson added 15 and was 3-of-6 from 3-point range; Isaac Johnson rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 points and five rebounds!
The Mustangs were led by Hamad Mousa with 17 points on 6-of-19 shooting, but he had six of Cal Poly's 23 total turnovers. Peter Bandelj added 11 of his own and five rebounds, and Cayden Ward chipped in 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds in the loss!
Johnson began with the first bucket of the game, and UH turned that into six of the first eight points scored.
Despite 10 turnovers committed as a team, UH did well in other categories. Bullock had two of UH's five steals, and Erickson drained both of UH's triples in the first half.
Cal Poly took the lead briefly with over 12 minutes left, but UH answered back via Isaac Finlinson, who made a layup off a Cal Poly turnover and was fouled in the process. Finlinson completed the three-point play, and UH managed to keep the lead the rest of the first half.
Just like last Saturday night against UC Irvine, UH got a buzzer beater to go in, and Gytis Nemeikša was the man for the job this time!
At halftime, UH took a good 41-36 lead over Cal Poly. Erickson led UH and all players with 10 points. Cal Poly had three players lead their scoring with just eight points.
Erickson drew first blood to begin the second half. It turned into UH scoring 13 of the first 17 points of that second half. Just like that, UH was then up double-digits, 51-40, by the first media timeout. That included a Bullock steal and an authoritative slam dunk!
From that point forward, UH controlled all the cards and never let their gap dip under 10! It was a much better second half for UH, as they committed just five turnovers, 15 overall.
UH improves to 13-3 in the 2025-26 season, and 5-1 in Big West play. They are now tied with UC Irvine for the top spot on the leaderboard. UH will conclude its road trip with a matchup against the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos on Saturday, Jan. 17. Tipoff at the Thunderdome is scheduled for 4 p.m. HST, and you can watch the game on ESPNU or listen to the game on ESPN Honolulu.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball wins thriller over UC Irvine Anteaters!
Hunter Erickson says "Happy New Year" with buzzer-beater
Happy new year, everybody!
The University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team dug deep and ended a four-game skid against the UC Irvine Anteaters, 67-66, thanks to a Hunter Erickson buzzer beater at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on Saturday! The win was UH's first over UC Irvine since 2023!
Isaac Johnson was saddled with foul trouble and held to just three minutes in the first half, but he scored all 15 of his points in the second half to lead the 'Bows! Harry Rouliadeff followed with 14 points and five rebounds, and Aaron Hunkin-Claytor chipped in 12 points, five rebounds, and a game-high six assists.
Derin Saran led the Anteaters with 22 points and three rebounds on 10-for-21 shooting. Kyle Evans was the only other double-digit scoring Anteater with 13 points and eight rebounds.
Rouhliadeff began with immediate fire in scoring eight of UH's first 10 points of the game! He aided in UH picking up an early 17-9 advantage. Johnson got two fouls early, and Dre Bullock sat out a portion of the first half due to a hit to his head; fortunately, Bullock returned later on.
Irvine erased UH's lead while UH went through another bad scoring drought. It turned into a 9-0 run while UH could not buy a bucket for over five minutes.
Fortunately, UH got their act together and finished the first half up, 29-27, over UCI!
Both UH and UCI stayed within four points of each other for the final 20 minutes! Johnson picked up his third foul just seconds in, and teammate Gytis Nemeikša had to pick up his slack.
Johnson came back in minutes later and gave the team a spark. He sank a couple of triples to give UH the lead on two occasions, but Irvine responded each time. UCI showed they were stingy with their hustle, but UH used turnovers to avoid all control going away.
With 1:11 to go, Johnson made a layup in the paint to put UH in front, but UH turned the ball over on its next offensive possession. It came down to the final nine seconds.
With Irvine up, 66-65, UH had one last chance to cause an upset, and Erickson answered that bell! Erickson got to the free throw line and put up a prayer with 0.6 seconds left that dropped through the net and sent the Stan Sheriff Center crowd into a frenzy!
UH improves to 12-3 in the 2025-26 season, and 4-1 in Big West play. They are now tied with UCI for the top spot on the leaderboard. UH will hit the road for their next two games beginning with the Cal Poly Mustangs on Thursday, Jan. 15. Tipoff at the Mott Athletics Center is scheduled for 5 p.m. HST, and you can listen to the game on ESPN Honolulu.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball falls to UC San Diego Tritons
'Bows see seven-game win streak snapped by Tritons
The University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team saw its win streak of seven in a row snapped with an 83-73 loss to the UC San Diego Tritons at LionTree Arena on Saturday. This loss is also UH's third consecutive to UC San Diego.
Harry Rouhliadeff led UH with 16 points and four rebounds on 6-for-11 shooting. Dre Bullock was next with 15 points on 4-for-7 shooting and was 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Isaiah Kerr came off the bench for 13 points and four rebounds and was 3-for-4 from long range! Isaac Johnson chipped in 10 points and five rebounds to round out the double-digit scoring 'Bows.
Alex Chaikin led the Tritons with 21 points and one rebound and was 3-for-5 from 3-point range! He was followed by Bol Dengdit's 19 on 8-for-12 shooting, and former Rainbow Warrior Tom Beattie chipped in 12 points, seven rebounds, and a game-high eight assists. Leo Beath rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10.
Johnson drew first blood on an assisted layup from Bullock 95 seconds in. Both teams were in close proximity with each other. Neither team pulled more than a five-point lead early.
Despite seven ties, UH did what they could, but UCSD went on a big run that allowed them to pull away. In the last 4:24, UCSD uncorked a 10-0 run to end the first half up, 36-29, over UH.
UCSD's run continued into the second half. It then turned into a 17-0 run, and the Tritons were never threatened.
UH's first bucket of the second half came with 16:24 via Rouhliadeff, but they could not put together a significant run to close the gap. It wasn't until the closing stages that UH got the gap to 10, but it did not matter.
UH drops to 11-3 in the 2025-26 season, and 3-1 in Big West play. They will return home and have a full week to prepare for their next game against the UC Irvine Anteaters on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. 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.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball dominates UC Riverside Highlanders!
'Bows say "Happy New Year" with 43-point win at Riverside!
New team, new year, same result!
Despite being inactive since December 13, the University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team showed no rust and dominated the UC Riverside Highlanders, 88-45, on Thursday at the SRC Arena in Riverside, California!
Isaac Johnson led all players with 18 points and six rebounds in the win; he was also 3-for-4 from 3-point range! Gytis Nemeikša (13) and Isaac Finlinson (10) followed with a combined 23 of UH's 39 points off the bench. Nemeikša was a rebound shy of a double-double while Finlinson chipped in five rebounds of his own and was a perfect 2-for-2 from 3-point range.
Marqui Worthy Jr. led the Highlanders with 14 points and three rebounds. BJ Kolly was the next closest with eight points and a team-high eight rebounds.
UH showed they came to play and shot out of the gates to score the first 10 points of the game! That began when Johnson made the good layup on an assist by Aaron Hunkin-Claytor. By the first media timeout, UH was already ahead early, 15-2!
UCR got off to a sluggish start and did not score until the 16:54 mark off a Worthy layup! They could not get a solid rhythm going, as UH crashed the boards early!
UH efficiently handled the press and squashed any run UCR could make! UH would commit just four turnovers in the first half alone to UCR's five.
UH was very efficient from 3-point range, as they shot an even 50% (8-for-16) in the first half alone! In the end, Nemeikša was the only Rainbow Warrior not to hit a triple!
At halftime, UH took a big lead, 45-27!
The second half saw another strong start from UH despite four early turnovers! Hunter Erickson started the second half with a layup just 12 seconds in, and Johnson made a slam dunk 47 seconds later; Johnson and Hunkin-Claytor, respectively assisted both field goals.
Riverside responded with back-to-back driving layups from Tyler Jones and Andrew Henderson; unfortunately, aside from free throws, just about every shot they took did not drop through the hoop for almost 10 minutes! With 7:16 to go, Jailen Daniel-Dalton broke that drought with a driving layup, but UCR made only two field goals the rest of the way.
UH shot an outstanding 64% (18-for-28) in the second half while UCR only made five baskets and shot 20% (5-for-25) in the second half alone! UH scored 43 points in the second half and held UCR to just 18.
UH's 43-point win is the program's largest winning margin in Big West play! They outscored Riverside in just about every category. They won the battle on assists, 21-4, outrebounded UCR 46-24, bench points 39-9, points in the paint 40-26, and second-chance points 16-6!
Riverside drops to 1-2 in Big West play and 6-9 overall.
UH improves to 11-2 in the 2025-26 season, and 3-0 in Big West play. They will have a quick turnaround when they take on the UC San Diego Tritons, the defending Big West champs, on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Tipoff at LionTree Arena is scheduled for 5 p.m. HST, and you can listen to the game on ESPN Honolulu.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball defeats Texas El-Paso Miners by five!
'Bows end 11-game homestand with victory over UTEP Miners!
In its first matchup against the University of Texas El Paso Miners since 2019, the University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team got the last say, 66-61, at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on Saturday to conclude their 11-game homestand! It was also Hawaiʻi's sixth straight win of the season and their final non-conference game of the season.
Harry Rouhliadeff tied his career-high with 22 points to lead the 'Bows; he also chipped in seven rebounds and a block. Dre Bullock was next in line with 15 points and six rebounds.
Jamal West Jr. and Kaseem Watson led the Miners with 12 points each, with West adding seven rebounds to Watson's five. Elijah Jones and Trey Horton III added 10 each, with Jones also pouring in seven rebounds to Horton's five; Horton was also 3-of-6 from 3-point range and included a triple at the buzzer in the second half.
UH led early, 7-3, but UTEP used its physicality early to cause a lot of erratic play from UH. UTEP then went on a 21-3 run, including 15 unanswered, to take as much as a 14-point lead.
As for UH, it was a frustrating nine-minute scoring drought with their next 13 shots missed from the field. Rouhliadeff broke that drought with a triple with 7:41 left. It was the beginning of 18 final points for UH!
The 'Bows ended the first half on an 18-5 run, which was punctuated by a Hunter Erickson floater at the buzzer! UH committed just five turnovers in the first half and trailed, 29-25, at halftime!
Rouhliadeff led UH with 12 points by halftime.
Like the first half, UH began the second half scoring the first five points and took the lead! A Bullock three-point play with 15:10 remaining put UH up, 38-34.
UTEP showed they were stingy and answered with a 13-4 run to take a 47-42 lead! It was punctuated on back-to-back triples by KJ Thomas.
But UH was never intimidated. With 5:56 remaining, Aaron Hunkin-Claytor drilled a corner triple to put UH in the lead for good, 50-49! It was part of a 10-2 UH run!
UTEP had one last chance after a West jumper put them down, 52-51, with 4:42 to go. Their last chance was ruined at the hands of UH's Rouhliadeff!
Rouhliadeff scored UH's next seven points, and teammate Gytis Nemeikša punctuated what was a 9-0 UH run with a dunk with 1:24 to go! Bullock also hit three critical free throws with 22 seconds left!
As a last hurrah, UTEP's Horton nailed a buzzer-beating triple for the final score!
UH improves to 10-2 in the 2025-26 season. They will have the rest of December off before returning to Big West Conference play at UC Riverside on Jan. 1, 2026. Tipoff at the SRC Arena is scheduled for 3 p.m. HST, and you can listen to the game on ESPN Honolulu or watch the game on Spectrum SportsNet.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball dominates Hawaiʻi-Hilo in 52-point win!
'Bows put on clinic in 52-point win over Hawaiʻi-Hilo!
Life in the islands is real good!
The University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team returned to non-conference play and dominated the Hawaiʻi-Hilo Vulcans, 98-46, at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on Wednesday. It was Hawaiʻi's fifth straight win and the best start they have had since the 2015-16 season.
The 52-point win is also the third largest margin in school history, and the largest since January 1972 against Redlands when they won by 57.
Harry Rouhliadeff led a six-pack of double-digit scoring 'Bows with 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Dre Bullock was next in line with 12 points and four rebounds. Gytis Nemeikša, Isaac Finlinson, Hunter Erickson, and Aaron Hunkin-Claytor all chipped in 11 points each with Nemeikša adding in eight rebounds, and Hunkin-Claytor adding in five assists as well.
Rouhliadeff (5), Hunkin-Claytor (5), Erickson (4), and Nemeikša (4) all combined for 18 of UH's 25 total assists.
Jamal Entezami led the Vulcans with 11 points and four rebounds. He was followed by Jessiya Villa's 10 points. Villa also chipped in Hilo's only two assists.
UH meant business and began the game with an early 6-0 run that started with a Rouhliadeff layup. In less than five minutes, UH took an early 17-4 advantage that was capped by an Erickson triple with 15:26 remaining!
Hilo tried to make some pushes, but UH's 3-point shooting ruined any chance they had; ultimately, Hilo did not make a triple in the first half.
UH made shot after shot and sank a mind-blowing nine triples in the first half alone.
Of UH's 19 made field goals, all but two were assisted!
At halftime, UH doubled up on Hilo, 48-24. They took care of the ball well with just two turnovers committed in the first half to Hilo's seven! Finlinson led UH and all scorers with 11 after the first half.
UH did not let up at all in the second half. A Hunkin-Claytor triple began another early 6-0 UH run!
Later, UH went on another significant 11-2 run with Bullock scoring nine of those points. UH did not look back from then.
In the end, all but two Rainbow Warriors got in the scoring column. A.J. Economou came off the bench for a career-high seven points, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range.
The 'Bows pummeled the Vulcans in points off turnovers 24-7, second chance points 26-5, and fast break points 14-4.
UH improves to 9-2 in the 2025-26 season. They will conclude non-conference play and their 11-game homestand on Saturday, Dec. 13, against the UTEP Miners. 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.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball wins again over Cal State Fullerton Titans!
'Bows outlast Cal State Fullerton in physical battle!
Make it four in a row now!
The University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team battled hard and triumphed over the Cal State Fullerton Titans, 69-59, at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on Saturday.
Harry Rouhliadeff and Gytis Nemeikša led four double-digit scoring 'Bows with 12 points each with Nemeikša pouring in 10 rebounds for a double-double. Isaac Finlinson came off the bench for 11 points and five rebounds, and Aaron Hunkin-Claytor chipped in 10 points and five rebounds himself.
Landon Seaman led Fullerton and all players with 17 points and five rebounds. He was followed by Bryce Cofield's 16 points and six rebounds, and Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro added 10 points and five rebounds.
UH spared CSF the first bucket, but they were just getting warmed up. UH then rallied past Fullerton with an 8-1 run to take the lead for good.
Fullerton made some pushes, but UH's bench was ready. Finlinson came off the bench and sank a triple early as part of an 11-1 run to double the 'Bows up on the Titans, 16-8, with 12:11 remaining.
CSF could not buy a bucket for five minutes and found themselves down, 19-8, immediately.
UH pummeled CSF on rebounds and were up 23-9 at one point in the first half. They also did well from 3-point range and sank eight of 21 total attempts.
At halftime, UH took a healthy, 39-25, advantage.
Just like in the first half, UH spared CSF the first two points, but Hunkin-Claytor banked a triple to extend UH's lead a bit.
UH maintained a double-digit gap for much of the second half, but CSF did not quit!
CSF cut the gap down to six points, 51-45, off a Seaman triple with 11:21 remaining, but that was the closest they could get.
UH's Finlinson stopped CSF's momentum with a drive-in layup on the next possession, and Nemeikša completed an offensive put-back as part of a 9-1 UH run! The gap went back to double-digits, and UH maintained that the rest of the way.
UH improves to 8-2 in the 2025-26 season and 2-0 in Big West Conference play. They will return to non-conference play on Wednesday, Dec. 10, against the UH-Hilo Vulcans. 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.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball holds off UC Davis Aggies!
'Bows turn back UC Davis in final Big West season opener!
In its swan song in the Big West Conference, the University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team got the last laugh over the UC Davis Aggies, 75-69, at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on Thursday.
Dre Bullock led a trio of double-digit scoring 'Bows with 15 points, six rebounds, and a team-high four steals. He was followed by Hunter Erickson with 14 points and three rebounds, and Yacine Toumi went for a career-high 13 points and three rebounds. Toumi was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field and went 5-for-6 from the free throw line.
Connor Sevilla led UC Davis with 17 points, all in the second half. He was followed by Nils Cooper's 14 points and five rebounds before fouling out. Niko Rocak chipped in 13 points and a game-high eight rebounds, and Isaiah Chappell added 11 points and six rebounds.
UH spared UCD the first bucket, but they rallied to score the next nine unanswered. It was part of a 15-3 UH run, and UH found themselves with an early 15-5 advantage. UH was a perfect 4-for-4 from 3-point range early but went cold for a bit.
UC Davis then rallied to score nine unanswered points of their own, and the gap was now down to one, 15-14.
UH would lose the lead at the 5:54 mark when UCD's Niko Rocak made two free throws, but UH reeled off a 10-0 run to retake the lead for good.
With Isaac Johnson and Harry Rouhliadeff saddled with foul trouble, Toumi came up big with some clutch buckets to pick up their slack.
At halftime, UH held a 33-28 advantage over UC Davis despite committing eight turnovers and going 5-for-11 from the free throw line.
UH began the second half with some fire and scored seven of the first nine points. They were then up, 40-30, off a Rouhliadeff dunk.
With Johnson and Rouhliadeff being held to four points scored apiece, Toumi came up big defensively off the bench! He had back-to-back layups, and Isaiah Kerr banked a triple to give UH some space via an 11-point lead.
UCD tried to scrap and claw its way back into UH's neighborhood. A Bullock lob from Erickson with 2:45 remaining brought the Stan Sheriff Center crowd to its feet. Despite a lousy free throw shooting night, Aaron Hunkin-Claytor got his act together and made five straight clutch free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
For UH, this was their seventh straight victory at home over UCD!
UH improves to 7-2 in the 2025-26 season and 1-0 in Big West Conference play. They will continue Big West Conference play on Saturday, Dec. 6, against the Cal State Fullerton Titans, who dropped a close one to Cal Poly, 94-91, earlier this week. 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.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball romps North Dakota Fighting Hawks!
'Bows use 14-0 first half run to win by 37 over North Dakota!
The University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team continued its winning ways over the North Dakota Fighting Hawks, 92-55, at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on Friday.
Dre Bullock and Gytis Nemeikša led five double-digit scoring 'Bows with 15 points each. They were followed by a trio of Isaac Johnson, Isaac Finlinson, and Isaiah Kerr with 14 each.
For Kerr, his 14 points was a season-high after missing two games due to an ankle injury. Finlinson's 14 was also a season-high, too!
Greyson Uelmen led the Fighting Hawks with 19 points and six rebounds. Anthony Smith III chipped in 12 points of his own.
UH and UND had similar starts, but UH had turnovers on three of its first four possessions. They got a break off a technical foul on UND's Josh Jones; UH's Johnson sank both free throws to surpass former Rainbow Warrior Brocke Stepteau's record of 34 consecutive made free throws. Johnson was a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line and made it 38 straight made free throws.
Due to some extra turnovers and UND's double and triple-teaming, UH found itself down, 21-18, past the midway point of the first half. It did not take long for the tides to turn.
With 8:20 to go, UH picked up its intensity and went on a 14-0 run that started with a pair of Nemeikša free throws and a slam dunk. In just three minutes, that 3-point deficit turned into a double-digit lead for UH.
UH shot 61% in the first half and held UND to just one fast break point while UH scored 17. At halftime, UH led big, 44-30!
UH kept the fire burning into the second half. They began the second half with a 10-1 run and ballooned their lead from then on.
UH's only two hiccups came via two technical fouls on Bullock and Kerr; fortunately, UND could not take advantage and made just one of the four free throws.
North Dakota could not get any closer than 20 points the rest of the way. To add to that, Smith got a technical foul of his own with 4:34 remaining.
Despite 17 turnovers committed, UH dominated UND in bench points 51-19, fast break points 22-3, points in the paint, 54-22, and outrebounded UND, 41-26.
UH improves to 6-2 in the 2025-26 season. They will begin Big West Conference play on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025 against the UC Davis Aggies. 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.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball turns back Hawaiʻi Pacific University!
'Bows use 13-0 second half run to win over Hawaiʻi Pacific Sharks
After losing for the first time at home last Thursday to Arizona State, the University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team got back in the win column over the Hawaiʻi Pacific University Sharks, 88-76, at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on Monday.
Isaac Johnson led a whopping seven double-digit scoring 'Bows with 16 points, four rebounds, and was a perfect 10-of-10 at the free throw line. Johnson tied a school record 34 consecutive made free throws by Brocke Stepteau in the 2018-19 season.
Harry Rouhliadeff returned after missing two games and chipped in 14 points and eight rebounds. Gytis Nemeikša, Hunter Erickson, and Yacine Toumi each chipped in 12. Aaron Hunkin-Claytor and Dre Bullock chipped in 11 each, with Hunkin-Claytor adding five assists and Bullock adding eight rebounds of his own.
Quinton McCullough led the Sharks with 17 points and six rebounds. Quentin Meza added 16 points and five rebounds himself while Joshua West added 15 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Josh Niusulu added 12 himself and was 3-of-5 from 3-point range.
UH came out of the gates firing and scored the first 12 points of the game while HPU did not score until the 14:20 mark.
HPU made some pushes, but UH kept a good distance for much of the first half. They were able to cut the gap down to five with some mini runs, but they did not take the lead.
UH's Nemeikša was able to make some key shots in the post, and Erickson sank a triple with 4:14 remaining to keep UH up by a handful.
UH was still short-handed, as Isaiah Kerr sat out for a second straight game due to an ankle injury, and Jalen Myers was absent for unknown reasons.
Despite those two out, UH still took a 38-33 lead over HPU at halftime.
HPU began the second half on a 7-2 run, but Maj Dusanic was issued a technical foul after a slam dunk. Their run was not done, as Niusulu sank a triple with 17:29 remaining and gave HPU its first lead, 42-41.
UH did not back down and retook the lead on a Nemeikša layup on the next possession. UH would lead the rest of the way, but HPU did not make it easy for them.
After HPU's Meza tied the game at 47 on a layup with 14:19 remaining, UH spurted back ahead with two made field goals from Johnson and Rouhliadeff; however, after a West triple, HPU head coach Jesse Nakanishi was issued a technical foul.
Johnson made both free throws, which started a 13-0 UH run to create some distance. UH did not let its gap drop below eight the rest of the way.
A Hunkin-Claytor technical foul with 4:38 remaining was UH's only hiccup down the stretch.
UH improved to 5-2 in the 2025-26 season. They will take on the North Dakota Fighting Hawks on Friday, Nov. 28, 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.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball falls to Arizona State Sun Devils
'Bows outscored by 15 in last eight minutes and lose by six!
Their last meeting ended in a 90-73 win in Honolulu on March 11, 1998.
Things were different in 2025, as the University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team led for much of the game only to fall to the Arizona State Sun Devils, 83-76, at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on Thursday.
Isaac Johnson led the 'Bows with 23 points and seven rebounds. Aaron Hunkin-Claytor was next and had a career night with 18 points and four rebounds. Gytis Nemeikša chipped in 11 points and three rebounds; Dre Bullock was the next closest with nine points and a game-high nine rebounds.
Bryce Ford led a four-pack of double-digit scoring Sun Devils with 20 points and one rebound. Anthony Johnson came off the bench with 16 points and three rebounds. Maurice Odum added 15 points of his own, four rebounds, and a game-high six assists. Massamba Diop chipped in 10 points and five rebounds.
UH started well and scored the first four points. They built a lead by as many as eight points over AZS.
AZS did not back down and gave UH some fight. They would take the lead with under a minute left in the first half off a Noah Meeusen triple, but that was short-lived.
Isaac Finlinson sank two free throws to give UH a slim, 35-34, lead at halftime.
UH was short-handed, as team captain Harry Rouhliadeff sat out for a second straight game, and Isaiah Kerr was also sidelined due to injury.
UH began the second half with some fire and scored seven of the first nine points. Despite AZS making some pushes, UH still maintained its lead and matched its biggest lead of eight.
With under eight minutes remaining, UH led by eight off a Johnson triple at the shot clock buzzer, but that was when the tables turned.
The Sun Devils scored 10 unanswered after that Johnson triple and retook the lead for the second time off of two Odum free throws with 5:31 remaining.
UH tried to fight back and tied it up on a Dre Bullock layup with 4:37 remaining; unfortunately, AZS shut them down with some clutch play and never let UH get closer than two points.
In total, UH was outscored, 26-11, in the last eight minutes of the second half.
UH saw its 4-game win streak snapped and fell to 4-2 in the 2025-26 season. They will take on the Hawaiʻi Pacific University Sharks on Monday, Nov. 24, 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.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball wins chess match with Utah Tech!
'Bows win back-to-back Outrigger Rainbow Classic titles!
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 Trialblazers 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.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball runs away from Manhattan Jaspers!
'Bows advance to Rainbow Classic Championship with win by 30!
Their last and only matchup came in an 81-67 win in Honolulu on Dec. 27, 2000.
In its second meeting nearly 25 years later, the University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team showed that not much had changed and advanced to the 2025 Outrigger Rainbow Classic Championship with another dominant, 86-56, win over the Manhattan Jaspers at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on Friday!
It was a career night for Isaac Johnson (25) and Isaac Finlinson (14), who combined for 39 points on the night. Johnson pulled off a double-double with 11 rebounds to Finlinson's seven. Yacine Toumi also chipped in 10 points and five rebounds before he fouled out.
Anthony Isaac was the only Jasper to crack double digits with 17 points and four rebounds in the loss.
UH spared Manhattan the first field goal -- a dunk -- and went on a 12-1 run to take an early 12-3 advantage. It was a lead that UH would not surrender.
Manhattan made a push and cut the gap down to four with under six minutes to go, but UH answered the bell then.
The 'Bows went on an 11-0 run after that and maintained a double-digit gap from then on. At halftime, UH held a 38-24 advantage with just four turnovers committed!
UH's only hiccup was losing Harry Rouhliadeff when he inadvertently took a shoulder to the head and did not return.
The second half started like the first with Manhattan's Erik Oliver-Bush making a dunk, but UH was just too far ahead for Manhattan to pose any threat.
Despite temporarily losing Dre Bullock for a few minutes to an ankle problem, UH still put on a clinic and did not let their lead dip below 12. UH committed six turnovers in the second half to total 10 for the game and outscored Manhattan in second-chance points, 18-1.
Both Johnson and Finlinson exploded in the second half themselves! Johnson scored 21 of his 25 total points and was 4-for-5 from 3-point range overall. Finlinson scored 12 of his 14 total points and was 2-for-3 from 3-point range himself.
UH improves to 3-1 in the 2025-26 season and will play for the 2025 Outrigger Rainbow Classic Championship against the Utah Tech Trailblazers on Saturday, Nov. 15, 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.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball dominates Mississippi Valley State!
28-5 run in first half puts 'Bows in win column over Delta Devils!
The University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team began the 2025 Outrigger Rainbow Classic with a dominant, 88-56, win over the Mississippi Valley Delta Devils at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on Wednesday!
It was a career night for Harry Rouhliadeff, who led UH with 22 points and five rebounds on 8-of-13 shooting. Hunter Erickson tied his career high with 18 points and six rebounds. Yacine Toumi also had a breakout performance with 11 points, and Aaron Hunkin-Claytor had a career night himself with 11 assists and just two points.
Michael James, MVSU's lead scorer who averaged 24 points a game, was held to just 11 points and one rebound. He was followed by Patrick Punch with 10 points and one rebound in the loss.
UH came to play and scored the first nine points of the contest with five coming from Dre Bullock. They would lead throughout, but they did come under a bit of fire from MVSU.
UH held a nine-point lead early, and despite an MVSU push to cut the gap to three, UH was not about to give up the lead for just two seconds.
With under eight minutes remaining, Rouhliadeff sank a triple, which generated an 11-0 UH run. That 11-0 run transformed into a massive 28-5 UH run to end the first half; it ultimately locked up the game early for UH.
At halftime, UH held a massive lead, 49-23!
The second half got no better for MVSU, as UH continued to increase their lead. 21 was the closest MVSU could get to UH for the final 20 minutes.
Toumi, who scored five in the first half, came up big with his final six points coming off of hard-earned shots.
UH did well and shot 50% (28-of-56) from the field, including 44% (10-of-23) from long range to MVSU's 34% (20-of-59).
UH improves to 2-1 in the 2025-26 season and will continue the 2025 Outrigger Rainbow Classic against the Manhattan Jaspers on Friday, Nov. 14, 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.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball cruises to big win over East Texas A&M
'Bows make bold statement with landslide East Texas A&M win!
The University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team avenged their heartbreaking loss at Oregon with an emphatic, 100-74, win over the East Texas A&M Lions at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on Sunday! It marked the first of an 11-game homestand for the 'Bows, and the first time UH cracked 100 points since 2017 in a 114-107 win over Long Beach State.
Dre Bullock and Hunter Erickson led a whopping seven double-digit scoring 'Bows with 15 points apiece with Bullock tallying seven rebounds to Erickson's one while Erickson was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field; Bullock also chipped in four assists and blocks. Gytis Nemeikša came off the bench for 14 points and four rebounds while Isaac Johnson chipped in a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds. Harry Rouhliadeff and Isaac Finlinson each put in 12 with Rouhliadeff getting four rebounds to Finlinson's three; Isaiah Kerr chipped in 10 points and four rebounds himself.
Josh Taylor led the Lions with 15 points and two rebounds in the loss.
Both teams traded triples between the Lions' Noah Pagotto and the 'Bows' Erickson, but the 'Bows outscored the Lions, 11-5, not too long after that.
For a stretch, both UH and ETAMU shot poorly and made no more than five field goals, but thanks to making 22 of 34 total free throws, UH maintained its lead despite a scoring drought of nine minutes!
Erickson banked his second triple to break that drought, and things began to come together for the 'Bows! In a matter of minutes, UH found themselves up by over 20, thanks to an 18-3 run, including 13 unanswered, to end the first half. At halftime, UH was way out front, 51-30.
Johnson and Rouhliadeff scored five points early for UH to begin the second half, and UH was able to maintain a lead of 25 or more the entire way.
11 of the 12 Rainbow Warriors got in the scorebook. Newcomer Hunter Carter scored his first point as a Rainbow Warrior on a free throw with 32 seconds left, which got UH to 100 points.
UH shot 55% (28-of-51) for the game after their sluggish start, 44% (7-of-16) from 3-point range. They did well with 14 turnovers committed overall with six coming in the first half.
UH improves to 1-1 in the 2025-26 season and will begin the 2025 Outrigger Rainbow Classic against the Mississippi Valley State Spartans on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 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.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball denied victory at Oregon!
'Bows fall to Oregon on Simpkins layup with four seconds left!
A win was in the bag, until it wasn't.
The University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team opened their 2025-26 season in heartbreaking fashion with a 60-59 loss to the Oregon Ducks in the waning seconds at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon on Tuesday. Just days after it was announced Tanner Cuff would miss most of the 2025-26 season due to a knee injury, UH suffered the worst double whammy of all when Oregon's Takai Simpkins made a layup with four seconds left, and UH's Hunter Erickson's layup fell off the rim on the final possession.​​​
Isaac Johnson led UH with 13 points and eight rebounds before he fouled out, and Isaac Finlinson had a career night as a Rainbow Warrior with nine points and three rebounds.
Simpkins' 18 points led the way for Oregon while Nate Bittle poured in a double-double of 12 points and 14 rebounds.
Harry Rouhliadeff drew first blood under a minute in, and that led to UH scoring seven of the first nine points of the game.
UH held the lead until the 15:04 mark when Oregon's Kwame Evans Jr. hit a triple to put the Ducks in front. Despite that, the 'Bows did not show any mercy.
UH and Oregon traded the lead several times, but Oregon uncorked a 7-2 run with 7:49 remaining and gave themselves some space.
At halftime, Oregon led UH, 33-26, with Simpkins leading all scorers with 11. As for UH, Finlinson came off the bench to score eight of his nine points total in that first half.
UH spared Oregon the first bucket of the second half, but Aaron Hunkin-Claytor, in his season debut, led an 11-1 UH run to get the 'Bows back in the Ducks' neighborhood, 36-35. The run was punctuated on a Dre Bullock triple with 16:01 to go.
The Ducks responded and went on a 14-1 run themselves to go up, 50-36, with 11:05 to go.
UH showed they were twice as stingy and took control after that. Gytis Nemeikša banked a triple off a Bullock steal which began a 20-8 UH run, including 14 unanswered. The 'Bows tied the score at 50 with 7:53 remaining off of two Johnson free throws.​
UH and Oregon traded the lead several times until two Bittle free throws tied the score at 54 with 5:14 remaining. The 'Bows battled hard despite Johnson and Nemeikša fouled out with under five minutes left. Yacine Toumi made the next layup with 4:17 left to put UH in front, 56-54, but that Toumi layup was ultimately UH's final made field goal of the game.
With 1:49 left, Oregon tied the score again at 58 on a Sean Stewart tip-in layup; however, 15 seconds later, a Bittle shooting foul put UH's Toumi at the line for two free throws.
Toumi went 1-of-2 at the line, and Oregon had one more chance. Oregon tried sinking a triple twice and failed. Rouhliadeff got the rebound off the second missed triple, but Simpkins picked up the ball and made the second-chance layup with three seconds left to ultimately turn back UH.
What looked like UH's first win over Oregon since 1999 was not meant to be after Erickson's last gasp did not hit the rim. Despite logging 12 steals and forcing 21 total Oregon turnovers, it was still not enough for UH.
UH drops to 0-1 in the 2025-26 season and will return home for its first of 11 straight home games beginning with a non-conference matchup against the East Texas A&M Lions on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. Tipoff at the Stan Sheriff Center is scheduled for 8 p.m. HST, and you can listen to the game on ESPN Honolulu or watch the game on Spectrum Sports.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball holds off Chaminade in exhibition thriller!
'Bows fight from 7-point gap to turn back Division II Chaminade!
The University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team found themselves down seven in the second half, but thanks to Hunter Erickson and Dre Bullock, were able to beat the Chaminade Silverswords, 93-87, at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on Sunday.
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Bullock's 23 points and eight rebounds led a trio of double-digit scoring 'Bows. Harry Rouhliadeff added 17 of his own, along with eight rebounds. Erickson scored all 10 of his points in a critical three-minute stretch in the second half. Returnee Gytis Nemeikša, in his season debut, added eight points and a critical game-high 12 rebounds as well.
Kent King led the Silverswords with 23 points and nine rebounds. Nathan Medina added 17 before he was forced to leave due to an injury. Roland Banks II and Nate Sasser III added 14 each in the loss.
UH hit the ground running and scored six of the first eight points of the game. Chaminade made a push, but Tanner Cuff banked a triple to extend UH's lead, 9-4.
UH was able to pull as much as a nine-point gap and led from start to finish in the first half. Despite missing over half of their 23 total free throw attempts and 10 turnovers committed, UH still led the way. At the half, UH led Chaminade, 43-40.
UH started out the second half rocky with a turnover on its opening possession, and Rouhliadeff missed a shot three straight times. It resulted in a Sasser triple for Chaminade to tie the game on the next possession.
Bullock aided in a 11-2 UH run after that, but Chaminade's pressure put the 'Bows in binds left and right. UH did not self-destruct, but they would lose the lead at the 12:39 mark off a Sasser fast break free throw.
Chaminade kept up the pressure and forced more Hawaiʻi turnovers. They pulled as much as an 8-point gap by the 8:31 mark.
UH put their heads down and went to work. Bullock began an adrenaline-filled UH attack with a dunk at the 7:51 mark. Erickson then took command of the proverbial ship and scored his 10 critical points down the stretch.
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A Nemeikša tip-in with 3:28 remaining put UH in front for good. They got things together at the free throw line and made their free throws down the stretch. In total, UH had outscored Chaminade, 20-5, to end the game.
UH will hit the road for its regular season opener at Oregon on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. HST, and you can listen to the game on ESPN Honolulu or watch the game on the Big Ten Network.
Hawaiʻi men's basketball wins by 50 in Pomona-Pitzer exhibition
'Bows put on clinic in exhibition game against Pomona-Pitzer!
The University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team put on a clinic in its first of two exhibition games with a 101-51 win over the Division III Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on Saturday.
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Newcomers Isaac Johnson and Dre Bullock led a six-pack of double-digit scoring 'Bows with 18 apiece. Returnee Harry Rouhliadeff added 15 of his own, followed by newcomer Hunter Erickson's 14. Jalen Myers and Isaac Finlinson contributed 10 each while Tanner Cuff added eight points and eight rebounds, and a team-high seven assists.
Charlie Hutchinson led the Sagehens with a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds. Clyde Rosenberg added 10 points and two rebounds of his own in the loss.
UH began with some immediate fire and scored the first six points while Pomona-Pitzer took some time to get going. UH pulled out an early 21-9 lead from a Myers 3-point play. The 'Bows did not look back from that point forward and shot a good 53% in the first half.
UH hit the ground running again in the second half. They immediately outscored Pomona-Pitzer, 19-4, early and cruised to the win.
With Cuff and Erickson leading the charge, UH found themselves doubled up over Pomona-Pitzer on numerous occasions.
By the end of the game, UH had outscored Pomona-Pitzer in the paint, 66-16! They shot just under 60% for the game with Bullock and Johnson going a combined 14-for-16 from the field.
UH will return to the Stan Sheriff Center for its final exhibition matchup against the Chaminade Silverswords on Sunday, Oct. 26, at 5 p.m. HST. Parking and admission will be free, and you can listen to the game on ESPN Honolulu.