80
Despite a rash of injuries and an ejection, host Hawaii beat Cal State Fullerton 81-61 in a Big West men’s basketball game Saturday at the Stan Sheriff Center.
A crowd of 5,958 saw Negus Webster-Chan lead UH with 18 points, all on 3-pointers, and Roderick Bobbitt add 17 as the Rainbow Warriors improved to 18-9 and 6-5 in the league with their first back-to-back wins since conference play started.
Quincy Smith added 13 off the bench.
The Titans got 23 from Lanerryl Johnson but fell to 9-16 and 1-9.
UH ended the game with just six players in uniform healthy enough to play.
Forward Aaron Valdes, UH’s leading scorer for the season, did not play due to an ankle injury in Thursday’s game.
Forward Stefan Jankovic and guard Isaac Fleming collided with 8:17 left in the half and both left the game after writhing on the floor in pain. Jankovic hurt his head but returned later in the half and finished with 12 points. Fleming appeared to injure his right leg and left the bench area after being helped off the floor.
Forward Mike Thomas was helped off the court in the first half after apparently injuring his left ankle and did not return to the game.
Guard Garrett Nevels was ejected with two technical fouls with 7:05 left in the game.
CSUF also played without its leading scorer, Alex Harris (17.1 points-per-game).
Hawaii led 40-38 at half-time and led by eight points before a run in the last two minutes by the Titans.
Bobbitt, who scored 10 in the first half, hit two free throws with 3:03 before the break to make it 38-30.
But CSUF tightened it up as Jordan Mason and Johnson each hit 3-pointers.
Webster-Chan made three 3-pointers in the first half.
UH re-established control at the outset of the second half with a 12-3 run, and later extended the lead to 65-47 with back-to-back 3-pointers by Webster-Chan and Bobbitt.
