Stacking up another win on the road, Hawai’i started strong and held firm Thursday night for an 89-74 victory at Cal State Bakersfield.
A sparse crowd of 226 at the Icardo Center watched grad transfer guard Dre Bullock score 19 points with four rebounds and four assists and Harry Rouhliadeff and Isaac “Big Fish” Johnson each add 17 points as the Warriors improved to 18-5 overall and 10-3 in the Big West Conference. AJ George scored a game-high 23 points and Dailin Smith added 20 points for the Road Runners, who fell to 8-18, 2-12.
After George’s layup put CSUB ahead, 16-14, six minutes into the game, Isaac Finlinson answered with a 3-pointer one minute later to give UH the lead for good at 17-16 and ignite a 16-4 run capped by Johnson’s free throw to make it 30-20 with 8:21 remaining in the half.
The Warriors took a 43-32 lead into the break and the Road Runners could not get closer than seven points the rest of the way.
Big West Conference Standings
HAWAI’I 10-3
UC Santa Barbara 10-4
UC Irvine 9-4
Cal State Northridge 8-5
UC Davis 8-6
Cal State Fullerton 8-6
UC San Diego 7-7
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 6-8
Long Beach State 4-9
UC Riverside 3-11
Cal State Bakersfield 2-11