NORTHRIDGE, Calif. » A player who made his first start just 13 days ago led Hawaii to its first road victory of the season Thursday night.

Stefan Jankovic collected team highs of 15 points, seven rebounds and two blocks as the Rainbow Warriors defeated Cal State Northridge, 84-73, in Big West Conference play in front of 1,127 at the Matadome, the college’s on-campus arena.

"We showed that we were tough, that we can battle," Jankovic said. "We were aggressive the whole game."

UH (15-7, 3-3) shot 58.8 percent in a 50-point first half, and 53.7 percent for the game. UH used its first win at Northridge (6-16, 2-5) as a conference member to enter into a tie with UC Santa Barbara for fourth place. Both teams are two games behind the Big West’s tri-leaders at 5-1: UC Davis, UC Irvine and Long Beach State — the Warriors’ next opponent Saturday.

"We just build off this," Jankovic said. "I feel we’ll go up from here. The sky’s the limit for us."

Since entering the starting lineup Jan. 17 for a 66-62 loss at UC Riverside, the 6-foot-11 Jankovic is averaging 14.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. His seven rebounds against the Matadors tied a career best.

"I feel like I’m just becoming more comfortable on both ends and finding my role," said Jankovic, who played just 28 games in two seasons at Missouri before transferring.

"This is all new to him," UH coach Benjy Taylor said. "He hasn’t been in this situation since prep school. But he’s going to get better every game."

Defensively, the Warriors stifled Stephan Hicks, the Big West’s fourth-leading scorer as Thursday night’s play began.

Hicks, Northridge’s all-time scoring leader, was averaging 16.6 points. But against the defense of Aaron Valdes and Roderick Bobbitt, the senior missed nine of 10 shots and finished with just four points, tying his season low.

"You’ve got to match his motor," Taylor said. "He’s very skillful at cutting and moving without the ball, especially opposite the ball. If he makes shots over the top, he makes shots over the top. But you can’t give him a transition basket. You’ve got to block him out."

However, Northridge’s Stephen Maxwell and Aaron Parks more than compensated. Maxwell matched his career high with 28 points and set a personal record with 17 rebounds. Parks came off the bench to add a career-best 21 points.

"In this four-game road stretch, we’ve got to execute defense in the half court," Taylor said. "We’re good at 94 feet, at 50 feet and at 40 feet. We’ve got to get good at 27 feet at both ends."

UH held a 27-17 lead but Maxwell scored four points during an 8-0 surge that narrowed the Matadors’ deficit to 27-25 with 7:13 left in the first half. The Warriors responded with a 10-0 spree to extend the margin to 37-25 with 3:34 before halftime.

The visitors built their biggest advantage at 55-38 with 2:15 gone in the second half. Northridge retaliated with a 14-3 blitz that drew the Matadors within 58-52 with 12:16 to play. But UH made six of eight free throws while scoring the next eight points to establish a 66-52 lead with 10:39 remaining.

Bobbitt and Valdes each scored 12 points, with Bobbitt adding eight assists and three steals. Hicks made two free throws to set the Big West career record for most foul shots converted at 550.

HAWAII 84, CS NORTHRIDGE 73

Thursday
Hawaii 84, CSUN 73
UC Davis 70, UCSB 64
UC Irvine 67, Cal Poly 57
Long Beach State 91, CS Fullerton 85, OT
Saturday
Hawaii at Long Beach State, 2 p.m. (HST)
CSUN at UC Riverside
UCSB at UC Irvine
Cal Poly at UC Davis