’Bows cannot overcome slow start in road loss to Grand Canyon
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARADVERTISER.COM
University of Hawaii Warrior basketball coach Eran Ganot on the court during practice at the SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center, Wednesday, Sept. 29.
The Hawaii basketball team’s second-half effort was not enough to complete a comeback from an 18-point deficit in a 78-72 loss to Grand Canyon tonight at Global Credit Union Arena in Phoenix.
UH power forward Gytis Nemeiksa came off the bench to score 17 of his career-high 24 points in the second half. The Rainbow Warriors’ reserves outscored the Antelopes’ bench 49-14.
But the ’Bows’ early turnovers and inability to get to the line consistently led to their second loss in seven games this season. Hawaii’s two-game road trip concludes with Saturday’s Big West opener against Long Beach State. The Antelopes also are 5-2.
The ’Bows closed to 64-62 on Nemeiksa’s 3 with 4:50 to go. It was the ’Bows’ 10th consecutive shot without a miss. But GCU wing Collin Moore hit a jumper from the top of the key while being fouled by Marcus Greene. Moore’s ensuing free throw made it 67-62.
UH guard Ryan Rapp’s driving layup cut the deficit to 67-66 with 2:28 to play. Tyon Grant-Foster then threw a no-look pass to the post, where Lok Wur parlayed it into a dunk to spark a 5-0 run.
The Antelopes’s final seven points came on free throws. They were 24-for-32 from the line, including 17-for-21 on free throws in the second half.
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UH was 12-for-20 on free throws.
Against Grand Canyon, the ’Bows found themselves in a deep first-half hole.
The ’Bows turned the ball over 13 times — the Antelopes had eight first-half steals — missed seven of 16 free throws, and were 2-for-11 from behind the arc in falling behind 43-27 at the intermission.
The ’Bows had difficulty against the Antelopes’ ball pressure and transitions. In the first half, the Antelopes built a 16-3 advantage on points off turnovers and 18-10 on fast breaks.
Moore, a 6-foot-4 wing, set the tempo with his drives and JaKobe Coles helped the Antelopes control the paint. Each had eight points in the first half.
Wur, who twice turned down recruiting efforts from the ’Bows, threw down two first-half jams. On the first, he soared for Moore’s lob on a break. Later, Wur caught an alley-oop pass from Styles Phipps for a thunderous dunk.
