Hawaii basketball comes back for big win at UC Irvine
DARRELL MIHO / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
UH Rainbow Warrior Mike Thomas goes up strong against UC Irvine Anteater Mamadou Ndiaye and Alex Young during a game tonight at the Bren Events Center.
The Hawaii basketball team moved a step closer to a Big West Conference regular-season championship with a huge 75-71 comeback win at UC Irvine tonight.
UH (22-3, 11-1 BWC) trailed nearly the whole game but closed out the victory with a 9-0 run, stunning the host Anteaters (20-8, 9-3) at the Bren Events Center. The Rainbow Warriors earned a season sweep of UCI in the process and moved a full two games up in the conference standings with four games to play.
Forward Stefan Jankovic led the Rainbows with 25 points on 7-for-12 shooting to go with six rebounds. Aaron Valdes added 13 points and six boards, Sai Tummala scored 11 and Mike Thomas 10. Point guard Roderick Bobbitt had seven points, six rebounds, six assists and five steals.
Valdes returned from a one-game illness absence and quickly made his presence felt, slamming home three dunks in the opening minutes of play, including two on lobs from Bobbitt.
36 responses to “Hawaii basketball comes back for big win at UC Irvine”
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What a game!
great game, way to show some Warrior heart. Janks hitting his stride at the right time and good job staying out of foul trouble. Well deserved team win. Go Warriors!!!
Stefan Jankovic deserves another Big West Player of the Week honor for leading UH to two more road wins, like he did 2 weeks ago. Yes, winning on the road, especially against a team like Irvine, is a big deal and worthy of accolades. If so, this will mean five Conference Player of the Week honors for the Rainbows, which will make this team the first in UH history to do so. In my opinion, UH now deserves to be ranked in the Top 25 as well.
Jankovic deserves to be the BW Player of the Year. Almost unstoppable in big games the man came to play. Also have to say the chemistry on this team is awesome. Everyone has a role and does it well. Coaches & players know how to finish games.
Janks deserves national player of the week consideration too the way he played.
Another exciting game from the Bows. Like to see the women pull that on UCR.
Great win!
Go Bows all the way to a championship!!!
Wow…howa bout dem Bows!
Ccchhhee-hhhuuuu!!!
Be focused and complete future tasks.
1. 2016 Regular Season Conference Title
2. 2016 Big West Tournament Champions
3. Move into the second round on the Big Dance, The NCAA’s.
Continue the drive Warriors!! Ccchhhee-hhhuuuu!!!
that’s affirmative.
Are they allowed to participate in post season games?
This year yes. Next season, no because of the post season ban handed down by the NCAA, unless UH wins their appeal.
Thanks. So NEXT season they are banned. Go. Owls!
You betcha honey.
That Valdes 3 from the corner was BIG. That guy must have ice in his veins. No fear just let em fly.
He also plays good defense most times. What a win!
Totally amazing – just when you think the Bows are done, they think of another way to scrap back into the game and into the heads of their opponents. Time to give this team a “cool” nickname, as they are on the verge of being one of Hawaii’s greatest B-Ball teams ever, Fab 5 included! Go Bows – pedal to the metal!
Give me a break!! saying this could be one of Hawaii’s greatest basketball team ever…..ha..ha…what kind of competition…irvine, fullerton, riverside….davies…….geezus, let’s not get carried away…..
Irvine is a very good team and excellent coaching went to the ncaa’s last year. Obviously you’re not a fan and haven’t been to any of the home games. This team played 3rd
Ranked Oklahoma and lost by three should have won that game. This years team has shown grit and tenacity unlike any other in recent memory. Buy a ticket and support the team Horseanna.
Geez what a downer you always are. Just let the fans enjoy the team.
I did qualify my assertion by saying, “on the verge”. It is difficult to compare teams era-to-era, but for this team to achieve that “pantheon”, they have to win the Big West Tournament, and go to the Dance. Even the Fab 5 team of 1972 was “1-and-done” against Weber State. This year’s Bows have heart, skill, and nerve, and play well together; they represent well. Go Bows!
OK Hassana give us your list of your top UH teams.
Norm Chow, Gib Arnold, and Ben Jay.
This year’s team is great, but not near Fab 5. Can’t compare on quality of teams played. Almost all teams were big schools in 71-72. But don’t get me wrong. I love watching this team from last year to this year. Exciting again.
DEFCON 5
How about “the Shaka Boys”? The Bows play “loose” & with aloha; and for the other team, it’s a shock!
watched the game online.
this team has balls.
Unbelievable
I kept praying with fingers crossed that these bunch of guys would not let down from when back in Honolulu and indeed they didn’t disappoint; five guys in dbl figure scoring again, and Janks keeps scoring like he did the previous game. I tell you what, Tummala is a natural from three point land, and he’s making full use of his senior year with the Warriors and making UH feel great for allowing him to play.
Got my fingers crossed for continued success, GO BOWS!!
The team made my night
AWESOME … WAY TO GO ‘BOWS !!!!!
Made the plays when they had to, played like champions.
We all know they are worthy of a top 25 rank. But please don’t rank them! It’ll jinx them down the home stretch.
Please stop with the top 25 nonsense. It’s like clockwork, all you people who don’t actually follow basketball suddenly come out of your caves waving pompoms and in a frenzy. True fans actually know they’re not a top 25 team yet.
What the hell is your problem. Another “think I know better than anyone else” opinionated downer. Let the fans enjoy this team and be excited for their effort.
We could not watch the second half live so we recorded it on DVR. Not knowing the result, we watched the second half, dreading the loss that was about to come. The DVR cut off at the 2:11 mark. My wife and I agreed that they lost the game anyway. I then checked my Twitter feed and was shocked to discover that they had pulled it out. When I told my wife, she didn’t believe me, and started hitting me to make me stop teasing her. We watched the replay on-line and all I can say is “WOW!”