Hawaii Extends Home Win Streak to 10 With 72-67 Victory Over UC San Diego

Isaac "Big Fish" Johnson provided the offensive spark Hawaii needed, scoring 17 of the Rainbow Warriors' first 27 points as they defeated UC San Diego 72-67 on Saturday night at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. The victory extended Hawaii's home winning streak to 10 games and improved their record to 17-5 overall and 9-3 in the Big West Conference.

A crowd of 4,842 witnessed Johnson's dominant early performance, which set the tone for the Rainbow Warriors throughout the contest. Despite his hot start, the game remained competitive as UC San Diego refused to go away quietly, mounting a furious comeback attempt in the final minutes that kept the home faithful on edge until the final buzzer.

The Tritons closed the gap to just two points when Leo Beath drained a three-pointer with 13.5 seconds remaining, making it 69-67 and setting up a tense finish. Hunter Erickson calmly stepped to the free-throw line and made one of two attempts to extend Hawaii's lead to 70-67, giving the Rainbow Warriors just enough cushion to secure the victory. The win improved Hawaii's impressive home record to 14-1 on the season.

The game featured an emotional subplot as Tom Beattie, who served as a UH co-captain last season before transferring to UC San Diego during the offseason, returned to his former home court. Rainbow Warriors fans made their feelings known, booing every time Beattie touched the basketball. The transfer showed his quality despite the hostile reception, finishing with 14 points and three assists against his former teammates.

Hawaii's victory keeps them firmly in the Big West Conference race as they continue their push toward the postseason. The Rainbow Warriors have now won nine of their last 12 conference games, establishing themselves as one of the league's most dangerous teams, particularly when playing in front of their passionate home crowd. UC San Diego falls to a challenging position in the conference standings with the loss.

The Rainbow Warriors will look to maintain their momentum as Big West play continues through February. With their home court proving to be a significant advantage this season, Hawaii has positioned themselves as legitimate contenders for the conference championship. The combination of Johnson's scoring ability and the team's defensive intensity at Stan Sheriff Center has made them nearly unbeatable in Honolulu this season.