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The University of Hawaii basketball team controlled the pace, the lane and then UC Irvine for a 72-56 victory in SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
A Thursday night crowd of 1,465 saw the Rainbow Warriors dominate all phases to improve to 2-0 in the Big West and 6-5 overall.
Bernardo da Silva, playing for the second time since missing six games because of a hand injury, was turpentine — and a terminator — in the paint. Da Silva scored 16 points — the final two on a thunderous dunk — suctioned 12 rebounds and stifled UCI’s Austin Johnson into 1-for-3 shooting.
“The whole team was really focused coming in,” said da Silva, a 6-foot-9 post with a 7-2 wing span. “My mindset was to come in and be aggressive — and be aggressive as I can and dominate.”
Da Silva was part of the ensemble that harassed 6-9 Collin Welp, considered the Big West’s most complete player. Welp was held to 4-for-11 shooting against Da Silva, Kamaka Hepa, Jerome Desrosiers and Zoar Nedd.
Da Silva, who committed only two fouls, managed to mix aggression with self discipline.
“Just jumping with my arms up instead of trying to reach down,” da Silva said. “And trying to really lock in to making the right plays. Coming in I was really focusd on all the little things … keeping my hands up, being active. I think that’s why I didn’t get many fouls.”
Noel Coleman, the Big West’s leading scorer, tallied 16 points — 11 coming after the intermission. He buried three of four 3s in the second half, many off the break.
“I thought Noel Coleman wore us down.” UCI coach Russell Turner said. “We were good on him early, but he wore us down.”
UH coach Eran Ganot said Coleman is effective even when he is not scoring — drawing double teams to free teammates and, when he clears to a side, widening the gaps into the lane.
Coleman and JoVon McClanahan also displayed their bond. Nicknamed “CJ and Dame” — a reference to the Portland Trail Blazers backcourt of CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard — they were able to break down the Anteaters’ man-to-man, zones and traps.
McClanahan, who entered hitting 19% of his 3, buried all three of his first-half shots from behind the arc to help boost the ’Bows to a 34-26 lead at the intermission. McClanahan finished with 12 points — all on 3s — and six assists. One of McClanahan’s assists came on the break, when he launched a pass from midcourt to Coleman in the left corner. Coleman calmly drained the 3.
“Me and Noel have a crazy connection,” McClanahan said. “I just seem to find him every time.”
The Anteaters could not slow the ’Bows, who scored 18 points on fast breaks, even with the return of guard Dawson Baker. Baker, who is considered one of the league’s top guards, missed the previous four games because of a hand injury. Baker scored 10 points on 4-for-12 shooting.
“It’s as bad as we’ve had in our program,” Turner said of the Anteaters’ transition defense. “We knew Hawaii was going to shoot 3-point shots in transition. We weren’t very committed to doing exactly what we we said we were going to do. That’s on me. That’s on my coaching staff, too. And that’s on the players. That’s on all of us.”
UH connected on 11 of 25 3-point shots. UCI hit four of 17.
“We couldn’t match the level of competitiveness and physicality and intensity that they brought,” Turner said, adding, “Hawaii was able to do tonight to us what we’re often able to do to other teams. Credit to them.”
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