When the test got tougher Sunday evening, the University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team got scrappier as the Warriors rallied past visiting Weber State in overtime, 73-68.
An announced crowd of 4,433 (tickets issued) in SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center watched center Tanner Christensen score a team-high 25 points and forward Harry Rouhliadeff add 12 points and five rebounds as UH improved to 4-0. Blaise Theatt scored a game-high 27 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Miguel Tomley added 12 points for the Wildcats, who fell to 1-3.
Weber State led 38-31 at intermission and was up, 43-33, five minutes into the second half. But the Warriors clawed back and eventually took a 51-49 lead after Tom Beattie’s free throw with 6:07 remaining to cap an 18-6 run. The teams then traded points until Tomley’s free throw put the Wildcats ahead, 57-55, with 25 seconds left.
Christensen then scored a layup with six ticks on the clock to tie it at 57-57 and send the game into overtime.
Tomley’s 3-pointer 30 seconds into OT gave Weber State an early 60-58 lead, but Ryan Rapp answered with a floater to ignite a 10-0 run culminating in Beattie’s free throw with 1:24 remaining to push the Warriors ahead, 68-60.
Weber State closed it to 71-68 on Threatt’s layup with six seconds left, but Kody Williams’ two free throws three seconds later sealed the victory.
Hawai’i won despite making just 3 of 15 attempts from 3-point range. But the Warriors made only nine turnovers in 45 minutes, and scored 26 points from the free throw line (on 40 attempts, 65 percent) compared to just 12 free throws made by the Wildcats.
Rouhliadeff scored 10 of his 12 points after halftime. Beattie added 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and one steal. Forward Gytis Nemeiksa contributed 10 points, eight boards, two assists and one steal off the bench.
Hawai’i will next play host to No. 10-ranked North Carolina at 7:30 p.m. Friday in a nationally televised game on ESPN2.