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Rainbow Warriors dominate Long Beach State

Negus Webster-Chan got hot from outside in the first half and Hawaii used a balanced run in the second half to take control in a 78-59 men’s basketball victory over visiting Long Beach State on Thursday.

The Rainbow Warriors improved to 19-11 and 7-7 in the Big West while the 49ers fell to 13-16 and 7-6. A crowd announced at 4,904 saw it at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Hawaii led 39-29 at halftime thanks to hot 3-point shooting by Webster-Chan, who finished with a career-high 20 points. He made 5-of-8 from beyond the arc in the first half, including three in consecutive possessions to put the Rainbow Warriors up 14-4 at the 13:22 mark.

Meanwhile, the UH defense contributed to Long Beach State shooting just 28 percent from the floor in the first half.

The 49ers scored the first seven points after the break, and UH did not make a shot from the floor until Webster-Chan hit his sixth 3-pointer at the 13:50 mark. LBSU closed to 45-42 on Branford Jones’ trey at 12:05.

UH took over at that point as five Rainbow Warriors scored during an 11-0 run and Long Beach State went scoreless for 4 minutes, 4 seconds.

Garrett Nevels, who scored 14 points, made a basket at 8:46 to cap the run and give Hawaii a 56-42 lead. The 49ers failed to put together a late rally and the Rainbows steadily pulled away.

Roderick Bobbitt scored 15 and Stefan Jankovic added 12 for UH.

Jones led LBSU with 12, Mike Caffey had 11 and Tyler Lamb 10.

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