Rainbow Warriors advance to Big West semifinals
HENDERSON, NEV. >> The Hawaii basketball team held off Cal State Northridge 75-68 in today’s second round of the Big West Tournament in the Dollar Loan Center.
The Rainbow Warriors, who had an opening-round bye, advance to a Friday night semifinal against UC Davis. It was only the second time the ’Bows won a tournament game since earning the title in 2016.
The Matadors closed to 68-66 on Dionte Bostick’s layup with 2:35 to play.
But UH guard JoVon McClanahan hit a layup off a sprint drive to make it 70-66.
CSUN’s De’Sean Allen-Eikens’ jumper rimmed out, and UH’s Noel Coleman grabbed the rebound and was fouled. Coleman’s two free throws extended the margin to 72-66.
Bostick cut the deficit to four with another layup. But UH’s Justin McKoy made two key free throws with 31.2 seconds to play.
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McKoy finished with 16 points and Bernardo da Silva, who played the final 4:53 with four fouls, finished with 14 points and nine rebounds.