The expected matchup between two of the top wing players in the Big West Conference did not transpire, but Hawaii eked out a 65-57 win over UC Santa Barbara tonight nevertheless.

A Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 6,323 saw the Rainbow Warriors get off to a 2-0 start in BWC play and maintain their best start to a season overall since 2001-02.

Guard Isaac Fleming scored a career-high 22 points in the win, while forward Stefan Jankovic added 19 points and nine rebounds. The Rainbows (13-2 overall) scored the last seven points of the game after UCSB (6-8, 0-1 BWC) drew within 58-57 with 3:55 to play.

UH’s leading scorer Aaron Valdes exited after just four minutes into the game with a toe injury and did not return for the rest of the game, cutting short a head-to-head matchup with UCSB’s Michael Bryson, the leading scorer in the conference.

With Valdes out, UH coach Eran Ganot turned to Fleming and true freshman Sheriff Drammeh to provide a spark. Drammeh did, forcing a turnover on Gabe Vincent, hitting a baseline jumper and taking a charge on Bryson. It helped UH to a 25-19 lead late in the period.

But UCSB closed the half on a 9-2 run, capped with a Vincent corner 3 with 29.3 seconds left. The Rainbows had a chance to go into the half with a lead, but could not get a shot off in time.

Fleming got the start in Valdes’ stead to open the second half and respond with 3-pointers from both corners for a 36-33 Bows lead. Quincy Smith followed it up with a rare 3.

UCSB refused to go away as Vincent hit a couple of 3s.

Fleming kept UH ahead by a narrow margin, first with a jab-step corner triple, then with a Euro-step take to the basket for a 55-52 lead.

Drammeh took another big charge, drawing Vincent’s fourth foul with 2:22 to play.

The true freshman grabbed the rebound off his own 3-point miss and got fouled with 1:29 to play, but missed both foul shots, and the UH lead remained 59-57.

Vincent was off on a drive and Fleming drove inside and passed off to Jankovic for an easy basket and a 61-57 lead.

Bryson was off on a 3 and the Gauchos had to take fouls. Roderick Bobbitt and Fleming made their free throws to secure the victory.

Vincent scored 17 and Bryson 16 to lead UCSB, which had won the past two matchups between the teams at the Sheriff Center.