DALLAS — The Hawai’i men’s basketball team once again came up short in a 71-65 loss to SMU, in a Western Athletic Conference matchup, Saturday night, at Moody Coliseum. The six-point loss was the Rainbow Warriors’ (13-7, 5-7 WAC) largest margin of defeat this season.
The tale of the story was rebounding, where the ‘Bows were out-boarded, 43-23. UH’s 23 rebounds was its lowest total of the season. SMU controlled the boards and maintained a steady lead until UH closed to within 54-49 with 5:03 remaining. Hawai’i would get no closer than that the rest of the way.
Senior Jake Sottos led UH with 17 points, including 5-of-11 from 3-point range. Junior Julian Sensley added 14 points, including 12 in the second half. Sophomores Bobby Nash and Matt Gibson each added 10 points a piece.
For the Mustangs (11-10, 6-7), junior guard Bryan Hopkins scored a game-high 27 points, 13 of which came at the free throw line. Hopkins didn’t play in the team’s earlier meeting in Honolulu, a 71-59 Hawai’i victory.
Forward Patrick Simpson added 14 points and 10 rebounds.
On a positive note for the ‘Bows, 20 of the team’s 23 baskets came off assists. UH also drained 10 3-pointers, on 27 attempts, and committed just seven turnovers.
SMU used a 9-0 scoring run to take an early 17-11 lead midway through the first half. But the ‘Bows found their shooting touch after missing five of their first six 3-pointers with consecutive treys by Nash and Sottos.
During a stretch late in the first half, Nash scored seven of team’s next nine points to pull the ‘Bows to within one. Moments later, a Matt Gibson trey put UH on top 27-23 with just over four minutes to play.
But the ‘Bows went cold the rest of the way as the Mustangs out-scored UH, 9-0 to end the half. Hawai’i missed its final five shots of the half and committed two turnovers on its final seven possessions to trail 32-27 at the break. UH shot just 36 percent in the period while the Mustangs converted 50 percent from the field.
SMU built its lead to double digits (49-39) at the halfway point of the second half. UH trimmed the deficit to five at the five minute mark, but the Mustangs answered back and Hopkins’ NBA-range 3-pointer as the shot clock expired with 3:45 left put SMU back on top by double digits. On SMU’s next possession, Simpson’s bucket gave the Mustang’s their largest lead of 12.
