For the first time in a decade, the Hawaii men’s basketball team is NCAA Tournament-bound.
Punctuated by Dre Bullock’s breakaway windmill two-hand slam in the final seconds, the second-seeded Rainbow Warriors defeated top-seeded nemesis UC Irvine, 71-64, in the title game of the Credit Union 1 Big West Championships at Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, Nev., on Saturday night.
UH (24-8) awaits Sunday’s NCAA Selection Show at noon Hawaii time for its seeding and destination for its sixth all-time appearance in the Big Dance, and first since coach Eran Ganot’s debut season in 2015-16.
The 2-0 performance in Henderson — UH’s second-place regular-season finish allowed it a double bye straight into the semifinals — represented a dramatic reversal of a series of March shortcomings for the program, including a failure to qualify for the Big West championships at all last year.
Ganot is coaching out the final year of his contract. An extension with first-year Athletic Director Matt Elliott is now a distinct possibility as UH heads to the Mountain West Conference next season.
Center Isaac “Big Fish” Johnson scored 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds, forward Harry Rouhliadeff had 15 points and 12 rebounds for his second double-doubles in two conference tournament games, and Bullock added 15 points. Backup guard Isaiah Kerr supplied 10 big points off the bench.
UCI (23-11) went cold down the stretch, making only two of its final 13 shots.
UH kept attacking the interior against the Big West Best Defensive Player Kyle Evans. The nation's leading shot blocker had 13 points, 10 rebounds and three swats. Guard Jurian Dixon led UCI with 17 points.
It was UH's first tournament win over its nemesis UCI and coach Russell Turner. The Anteaters were previously 3-0 against UH in such games, including the 2015 BWC final the season before Ganot took over the program.
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