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UH flipped SJSU’s script
The final, white-knuckle moments of the Hawaii basketball team's win over San Jose State had an eerily familiar feel Saturday night.
It had been about 51 weeks since San Jose State stunned the Rainbow Warriors 55-54 at the Stan Sheriff Center thanks to a layup by Keith West with 3.5 seconds left.
The Spartans threatened to frustrate the Rainbows again in their return to the islands, never allowing UH to build a controlling lead.
But this time Hawaii had an answer for each SJSU run -- with Logan Lee providing the final margin with two free throws with 5.7 seconds left -- and held on for the 56-55 win to sweep the season series with the Spartans.
"I think we're a better team than we were a year ago," Hawaii coach Riley Wallace said. "That's why we won both games."
Hawaii continues its Western Athletic Conference homestand Thursday against Louisiana Tech and faces Southern Methodist on Saturday.
The Rainbows (16-4, 8-2 WAC) had three days off early last week to recover from a week on the mainland and needed all the energy they could muster to hang on to their lead in the conference race.
"No matter what, we won, we came out with the W," UH forward Julian Sensley said. "We're just trying to recover from that long road trip, so we came out kind of sloppy, but we're going to improve."
Wallace said the wear of five road games in the last month and the amount of class time the players missed while away necessitated the days off last week.
"We had to do that," Wallace said. "It was a gamble, but we had to do it, because they had to get their legs back. ... They had to catch up with their school work and you just have to clear your head.
"Coming back, I just felt they had to have that time. I think they were rested and played hard."
For the UH players who were around for last year's home loss to the Spartans, the reversal of fortune was a welcome change.
Center Haim Shimonovich hit a clutch jumper with 3:22 left and fed Sensley for a dunk at the 1:42 mark. When SJSU closed within a point with 7.6 seconds left, Lee's free throws gave UH some breathing room.
"It was the exact opposite of what happened last year," UH guard Michael Kuebler said. "Last year they got a basket at the end and beat us by one, so I guess we owed them one."
Kuebler reached a personal milestone 58 seconds into the game as he hit the 100th 3-pointer of his UH career. He drained two more later in the half to halt a 10-2 SJSU run and nailed his fourth of the game after the Spartans closed to 32-29 early in the second half.
"He made some tough shots," SJSU coach Phil Johnson said. "We challenged him and we were there in his face and he rises up and makes them. He's a tremendous player."
When the Spartans closed to within three late in the game, the Rainbows got a boost from the 7,002 fans, who stood for the final moments of the contest. With four home games left on the Rainbows' schedule, Wallace continues to hope for that elusive sellout.
"I thought the crowd was good tonight," Wallace said. "When we needed them they were there for us and it means a lot."
WAC standings
Hawaii's remaining games (All times Hawaii time)
Conference All Games W L Pct. W L Pct. Hawaii 8 2 .800 16 4 .800 UTEP 8 3 .727 17 4 .810 Nevada 8 4 .667 14 7 .667 Rice 7 4 .636 15 7 .682 Fresno St. 7 4 .636 11 9 .550 Boise St. 6 5 .545 14 7 .667 Louisiana Tech 5 6 .455 11 10 .524 SMU 3 8 .273 9 12 .429 Tulsa 3 9 .250 7 14 .333 San Jose St. 0 10 .000 5 15 .250
Thursday, Louisiana Tech, 7:05 p.m.; Saturday, SMU, 7:05 p.m.; Feb. 18, at Boise State, 4:30 p.m.; Feb. 21, ESPN Bracket Buster Saturday, at Southern Illinois, 7 p.m.; Feb. 23, at UTEP, 3:05 p.m.; Feb. 27, Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.; Feb. 29, Rice, 3:05 p.m.
Mar. 4, at Nevada, 5:05 p.m.; Mar. 6, at Fresno State, 5 p.m.
Mar. 9-13 WAC Tournament, at Fresno, Calif.