JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii guard Kody Williams (0) drives to the basket against Cal State Bakersfield guard Marvin McGhee IV (4) and guard Kadar Waller (12) during the first half of an NCAA men’s basketball game Saturday at SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu.
1/4 JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii guard Kody Williams (0) drives to the basket past Cal State Bakersfield guard Marvin McGhee IV (4) and guard Kadar Waller (12) during the first half of an NCAA men’s basketball game Saturday at SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu.
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii forward Akira Jacobs (34) is fouled by Cal State Bakersfield guard CJ Hardy (0), fullback, as forward Cameron Clark (22) helps to play during the first half of an NCAA men’s basketball game Saturday at SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center.
2/4 JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii forward Akira Jacobs (34) is fouled by Cal State Bakersfield guard CJ Hardy (0), fullback, as forward Cameron Clark ( 22) assists on the play during the first half of an NCAA men’s basketball game Saturday at SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center.
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii guard Tom Beattie (2) drives to the basket between Cal State Bakersfield guard CJ Hardy (0) and guard Jemel Jones (21) during the first half of a NCAA men’s basketball game Saturday at SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center.
3 /4 JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii guard Tom Beattie (2) drives to the basket between Cal State Bakersfield guard CJ Hardy (0) and guard Jemel Jones (21) during the first half of an NCAA men’s basketball game on Saturday at SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center.
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii center Tanner Christensen (32) is fouled by Cal State Bakersfield guard Marvin McGhee IV (4) during the first half of an NCAA men’s basketball game Saturday at SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu.
4/4 JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii center Tanner Christensen (32) is fouled by Cal State Bakersfield guard Marvin McGhee IV (4) during the first half of a men’s basketball game of the NCAA on Saturday at SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu.
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii guard Kody Williams (0) drives to the basket against Cal State Bakersfield guard Marvin McGhee IV (4) and guard Kadar Waller (12) during the first half of an NCAA men’s basketball game Saturday at SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu.
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii forward Akira Jacobs (34) is fouled by Cal State Bakersfield guard CJ Hardy (0), fullback, as forward Cameron Clark (22) helps to play during the first half of an NCAA men’s basketball game Saturday at SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center.
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii guard Tom Beattie (2) drives to the basket between Cal State Bakersfield guard CJ Hardy (0) and guard Jemel Jones (21) during the first half of a NCAA men’s basketball game Saturday at SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center.
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii center Tanner Christensen (32) is fouled by Cal State Bakersfield guard Marvin McGhee IV (4) during the first half of an NCAA men’s basketball game Saturday at SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu.
Once again, the Hawaii basketball team has caught up with the Roadrunners.
The Rainbow Warriors made decisive shots from the field and at the free throw line to earn an 81-70 victory over Cal State Bakersfield at SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center this evening.
A crowd of 3,194 watched the Rainbow Warriors withstand a barrage of shots from one of the league’s most prolific scorers to split the two home games and improve to 12-6 overall and 4-3 in the Big West. The’Bows won their seventh straight victory against the Roadrunners.
A week ago, Jemel Jones scored 45 points to help the Roadrunners overcome a 23-point deficit against Cal State Northridge. Saturday night, Jones scored eight straight points to close the Roadrunners to 66-63 with 5:22 left. But Jones, who finished with 29 points, including 15 after intermission, didn’t score again. Jones missed his final three shots, was called for traveling and picked up his fourth and fifth fouls to go out with a minute to play.
UH’s Gytis Nemeiksa and Kody Williams hit two 3s late in the second half to deny any CSUB comeback. Nemeiksa opened the game with a 3 and Williams added consecutive 3-pointers as the Bows scored 12 of the first 16 points during the first media timeout. Late in the game, Williams was blocked on an open 3-point attempt. He then drained a 3 from the top of the key to make it 73-65 with 1:53 left.
“My teammates and coaches give me the green light to shoot those 3s,” Williams said. “I let it fly with confidence. This is the most important thing for me.
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After the block, Williams said, “I wanted to get that one back.” He finished with 16 points.
Les’Bows made 15 of 18 free throws in the second half. UH center Tanner Christensen, who struggled at the line earlier in the season, scored 11 of his 17 points on free throws. He was 11 of 13 from the line, including 6 of 6 in the second half.
“He worked really hard on that,” said UH assistant coach Gibson Johnson, who coached Christensen at Utah Tech last year. “He went to the gym to do extra reps, and that’s something we really worked on. We wanted to make sure he was reliable at the free throw line.
The Roadrunners entered as one of the most determined rebound chasers in the league. And while they were able to corral long rebounds on missed deep shots, they were hampered by foul trouble. CSUB forward Fidelis Okereke picked up his third foul with 11:24 left in the first half. Okereke committed his fourth foul four minutes into the second half. Backup center Shakir Odunewu was also struggling early and late in the game. CSUB coach Rod Barnes had to call up Cameron Clark, who only appeared in two of the Roadrunners’ first 18 games.
CSUB has relaxed the man-to-man defense, using a defender as a mobile. Jones often dropped a UH playmaker to help in the low post. During one sequence, the Roadrunners threw triple coverage at Christensen.
“The double and triple is something he’s been used to for three years,” Johnson said of Christensen, who grabbed nine rebounds, committed nine fouls and assisted on three baskets. “Free throw shooting is a big step in the right direction. Now there is no part of his game that worries you.
Christensen entered as the league’s most efficient shooter, hitting 71.8 percent of his field goal attempts.
The Roadrunners, who made 40.4 percent of their 3s, were 4 of 15 from beyond the arc.
The Bows hit the road to face UC Davis on Thursday and UC Irvine on Saturday.
