Ka Leo O Hawaii

Issue date: 11/29/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: File photo Bobby Nash hits a three-pointer during the Rainbow Warriors home opening victory over Coppin State 79-67 last season. Nash recorded 10 points in the 'Bows rematch against the Eagles Tuesday night.

Media Credit: File photo Senior Matt Gibson blows past the Coppin State defense in last season's match-up. Gibson, who missed the first four games this season, recorded a game-high 18 points off the bench in the Rainbow Warrior and Eagle rematch on Tuesday night.

After coming off a 89-60 road loss to New Mexico last week, the worst loss by a University of Hawai‘i squad in more than six years, the UH men's basketball team took in their second win of the season in a convincing 79-58 victory over the Coppin State Eagles (3-4, 0-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) on Tuesday night at the Stan Sheriff Center. UH improves to 2-3 on the year.

As in their previous meeting last season in Honolulu, the Eagles once again proved to be only a small threat to the rainbow Warriors. Last year, Hawai‘i defeated the Baltimore, Maryland school by 12 points in a 79-67 finish. In their rematch, the Eagles played short-handed, as leading scorer senior guard Tywain McKee (21.2 ppg) remained absent at the helm of the team.

Despite an early 4-0 start by Hawai‘i, the remaining first half saw a back-and-forth battle between the two squads as the Eagles responded quickly with four consecutive points of their own to tie the game. The Rainbow Warriors led for most of the first half, as they allowed the Eagles only one other opportunity to tie the game at 10-10 with 15:04 left in the first. Hawaii took an eight-point lead into the locker room, capped by a three-pointer by senior guard Jared Dillinger with eight seconds on the clock.

While Hawai‘i remained at a comfortable advantage over Coppin State, as the first half saw no lead change and only two tying scores, UH took their first double-digit lead when senior guard Bobby Nash hit a three-pointer on the Rainbow Warriors' first possession of the second half to put the score at 43-32. Hawai‘i never looked back, extending their lead by as many as 24 points in the half. With 2:47 left in the game, Dillinger put up another three-pointer to cap their biggest lead, 79-55.

Following four missed games, senior co-captain Matt Gibson made his first appearance of the season, generating a much-needed spark. Gibson led with a game-high 18 points, adding six assists and four rebounds in his 26 minutes of play off the bench.

Senior guard Riley Luettgerodt finished with 17 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Sophomore forward Bill Amis added a season-high 16 points, six rebounds, and three blocks, while Dillinger and Nash also finished in double figures for the Hawai'‘i squad, who recorded a season-high nine three-pointers.

Leading the Eagles was A'Daeron Duncan with 15 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.

The Rainbow Warriors next head to California in a rematch against the San Diego Toreros on Sunday, Dec. 2. In Hawai‘i's season-opener on Nov. 9, the Toreros defeated UH, 73-72. Tip-off for Sunday's match-up is set for 2 p.m. PST (12 p.m. HST) at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.

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