Illinois 79, Hawai‘i 77 HONOLULU — The University of Hawai‘i (0-2) lost their second straight game on the season, this time against Illinois (2-0) 79-77. Illinois, a NCAA Tournament team last season, won on a lay up by Calvin Brock
Illinois 79, Hawai‘i 77
HONOLULU — The University of Hawai‘i (0-2) lost their second straight game on the season, this time against Illinois (2-0) 79-77. Illinois, a NCAA Tournament team last season, won on a lay up by Calvin Brock with five seconds left in front of 6,308 fans.
Hawai‘i was in control most of the game but went over eight minutes in the second half without a field goal that let the Fighting Illini get back into the game.
Senior Bobby Nash led all scorers with a 30 point performance, a new career high. Nash shot 50 percent from the field on 10-of-20 shooting and was perfect from the charity stripe, going 7-for-7. Senior Riley Luettgerodt recorded 16 points and senior Jared Dillinger tallied 12, 11 in the first half.
Chester Frazier for the Fighting Illini had 19 and nine rebounds. Brock came off the bench to add 11 plus the game winner. Shaun Pruitt in the post for Illinois had 15 points and seven rebounds.
Hawai‘istarted last night’s game against Big Ten powerhouse Illinois strong, going on a quick 6-0 run. However, the Fightin Illini scored four straight points to close the gap. Hawai‘i continued to pull ahead off of Nash’s seven points within the first five minutes to bring the ‘Bows to a 11-4 lead.
Frazier laid up a basket to tie the game up at 17 apiece at the 11:45 mark. A Dillinger three broke the tie and Hawai‘i would go up by as much as ten. Dillinger stole the ball and on the fast break hit Kareem Nitoto for a basket that brought the crowd to its feet with 5:05 left in the first half for a 35-25 lead.
Illinois stormed back with the help of Calvin Brock’s two dunks and got within three at 37-34 with 56 seconds left in the half.
Dillinger hit a three from the left corner as time wound down in the first half and gave Hawai‘i a six point lead, 42-36.
Sophomore Bill Amis hit a jumper to start it off for the Rainbow Warriors in the second half, increasing Hawai‘i’s lead to their largest at that point to 11, 47-36.
Minutes later, Hawai‘i tried to put the game away off a Chris Meachen turnover that allowed Luettgerodt to go coast to coast for a lay in to extend the `Bows lead to 62-49. However, after that field goal by Luettgerodt, the Rainbow Warriors went until the 4:08 mark for a bucket, this one by Nash ended their drought and brought them within five, 74-69. In that span, Hawai‘i only scored five points, all off free throws and the Fighting Illini were able to put together a 14-0 run.
Nash was able to breathe life back into the ‘Bows when he hit two three’s within 35 seconds of each other, the second giving Hawai‘i the lead 75-74 with 2:59 remaining in the game. UH did not hit another field goal the rest of the way but got another two point lead when Luettgerodt sank two free throws, allowing Hawai‘i a 77-75 lead.
Hawai“i, now 0-2 on the season, will next face Alcorn State at 8:05 p.m tomorrow.
