The University of Hawaii men’s basketball team held off Saint Francis — and prolific post scorer Josh Cohen — for a 90-66 victory today in SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

A crowd of 2,143 saw the ’Bows accelerate from a 37-36 halftime edge with a 53-point second half.

Cohen amassed 40 points for the second time this season on 16-for-23 shooting, all inside the arc, and grabbed nine rebounds.

But UH’s Kamaka Hepa answered with a career-best 30 points and Samuta Avea contributed 18 points. Avea, who scored only one point in the first half, hit his first five shots after the intermission, including a loud dunk off a JoVon McClanahan lob.

In a battle of 6-foot-10 posts, Cohen dominated the first half but Hepa hit the go-ahead basket to give the ’Bows a 37-36 lead entering the intermission.

Cohen, a center with guard-like skills, connected on 10 of 12 first-half shots against series of UH defenders. Cohen, who was 6 feet as a high school freshman, had 21 points in the first 20 minutes.

But Hepa was able to keep pace, answering with 19 first-half points on 8-for-12 shooting, including 3-for-4 from behind the arc.

After grabbing only three rebounds in the first eight minutes, the ’Bows finished the half with 13 boards.