Their last and only meeting came in a 100-81 victory in Honolulu on November 24, 2002.

After coming home empty-handed on their first road trip, the University of Hawaiʻi Men's Basketball team used a strong second half start to defeat the Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders, 71-62, at the Stan Sheriff Center on Saturday.

Ryan Rapp led the 'Bows with a career-high 19 points and six rebounds and was a perfect 5-for-5 from 3-point range. Marcus Greene was next with 15 and was a perfect 6-for-6 at the foul line. Gytis Nemeikša rounded out the double-digit scorers with 14.

Garry Clark and Shilo Jackson each had 11 points to lead the Islanders.

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The Islanders' Stephen Giwa drew first blood after two early fouls to teammate Jaden Walker, but the 'Bows answered back.

 

A Greene jumper and two Nemeikša free throws put the 'Bows on the board and in the lead. The 'Bows led until the 14:38 mark when an Islanders triple from Walker put them behind.

Both the 'Bows and the Islanders were evenly matched throughout the first half. The 'Bows were still plagued by ball control and turnover troubles while the Islanders pulled out as much as an 8-point lead.

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Rapp had none of it and banked his first of his five straight triples with 7:07 to go. Just like that, the 'Bows were back in the hunt.

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At the end of the first half, both teams were tied at 28 apiece; however, UH had made nine field goals and committed 10 turnovers.

UH came out of the gate lava hot to begin the second half. They began with an immediate 11-1 run, including nine unanswered, in the first four minutes to take an early 39-29 lead.

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After the 'Bows went cold for a bit, the Islanders made a push and cut the deficit down to two, 45-43, with under 12 minutes to go. UH answered the bell with a Harry Rouhliadeff tip-in on the next possession.

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With 7:53 to go, the Islanders' Dian Wright-Forde made a layup to cut the gap down to one, 47-46, but the 'Bows answered the bell again.

Greene scored five of the next seven unanswered for UH to widen the gap back to eight. Rapp added to the fray with his fourth triple of the game with 5:30 to go.

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Rapp buried his fifth and final triple with 2:57 to go to put the 'Bows up by 11. That triple was just about enough to put the writing on the wall. A Nemeikša jumper with 53 seconds left gave UH their biggest lead -- 12 points.

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Owen Dease gave the Islanders a last hurrah with a triple with 27 seconds left for the final arithmetic.

UH will remain at home to begin the 2024 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic next weekend when they take on the Charlotte 49ers. Tipoff at the Stan Sheriff Center is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. HST on Sunday, Dec. 22. You can watch the game on ESPN2 or listen on the radio at ESPN Honolulu.