76
Brocke Stepteau scored 23 points to boost the University of Hawaii basketball team to a 77-70 road win over Long Beach State tonight, their first Big West victory at the Walter Pyramid in seven tries.
Making his first start after six games off the bench, Stepteau buried five of six 3-pointers. He missed all seven of his shots inside the 3-point arc.
In the previous two games, the Rainbow Warriors hit 24 percent of their 3s, with Stepteau, Jack Purchase and Eddie Stansberry combining on eight of 30 from behind the stripe. Today, the ’Bows connected on a school record-tying 14 of 27 3-point shots. Purchase finished with 17 points, including five 3-pointers. Stansberry hit one of three 3-pointers.
The ’Bows held off the 49ers, who twice closed to six points in the final two minutes. The ’Bows, who did not attempt a free throw in the first half, made 11 of 18 after the intermission.
Deishuan Booker, who entered averaging 25.9 points in Big West games, was held to 11 points. He attempted only seven shots.
The ’Bows improved 14-8 overall and 5-3 in the Big West, a tie for third place with Cal State Fullerton at the conference midway point. The 49ers fell to 8-16 and 2-6 following their sixth loss in a row.
The ’Bows play at UC Irvine on Saturday.
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