Tribune-Herald
Tribune-Herald
Buried by a barrage of Air Force 3-pointers, the University of Hawaii’s postseason appearance was short-lived.
Mike Fitzgerald hit six 3-pointers and scored 25 points Wednesday night and the Falcons lit it up from long range at Stan Sheriff Center to defeat the Warriors 69-65 in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament in Honolulu.
Isaac Fotu led the way with 24 points and Christian Standhardinger added 16 points and eight rebounds for the Warriors (17-15), who missed on a shot to take the lead late and finished the season on a four-game losing streak.
The Falcons (18-13) made only nine baskets from inside the arc, but they thrived from behind it, shooting 15 of 31.
Both teams had their moments in the first half. Air Force opened by scoring 19 of the game’s first 24 points, but Hawaii countered with a 24-4 run to take a six-point lead two minutes before halftime.
The Warriors hung around in the second half despite shooting just 32 percent — including 2 of 12 on 3s.
Meanwhile, Air Force kept making 3-pointers
The Falcons took the lead for good on Cameron Michael’s 3-pointers with 12:03 left to play, and they built the lead to six on three occasions, the last time on Kyle Green’s 3 with 2:55 remaining.
Fotu answered with a jumper and Hauns Brereton made a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to 67-65 with 43 seconds left. But after Hawaii forced a steal, Brereton missed a 3-pointer and Fitzgerald iced the game on the free-throw line.
Green made four 3-pointers and finished with 18 points on 7 of 14 shooting and added six assists.
The second round of the CIT will be held Saturday and Sunday, and the matchups are to be announced.
AIR FORCE (18-13)
Fitzgerald 8-15 3-4 25, Fletcher 2-6 0-1 6, Earls 2-6 0-0 5, Green 7-14 0-0 18, Broekhuis 3-6 0-0 6, Olesinski 0-2 0-0 0, Coggins 0-0 0-0 0, Hammonds 0-0 2-4 2, Williams 0-0 0-0 0, C. Michael 2-6 1-3 7, Yon 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-55 6-12 69.
HAWAII (17-15)
Tavita 1-4 0-0 3, Joaquim 0-2 2-2 2, Brereton 2-9 2-3 7, Clair 0-1 0-0 0, Standhardinger 5-9 6-10 16, Jefferson 0-0 0-0 0, Jawato 0-2 0-0 0, Rozitis 1-1 0-0 2, Harper 1-2 0-0 3, Spearman 2-8 2-4 8, Fotu 10-14 4-4 24. Totals 22-52 16-23 65.
Halftime—Hawaii 34-31. 3-point goals—Air Force 15-31 (Fitzgerald 6-10, Green 4-9, Fletcher 2-4, C. Michael 2-5, Earls 1-1, Olesinski 0-2), Hawaii 5-23 (Spearman 2-6, Harper 1-2, Tavita 1-4, Brereton 1-7, Standhardinger 0-1, Clair 0-1, Jawato 0-2). Fouled out—None. Rebounds—Air Force 32 (Fitzgerald 9), Hawaii 36 (Fotu 9). Assists—Air Force 19 (Green 6), Hawaii 13 (Tavita 6). Total fouls—Air Force 17, Hawaii 10. Technical—Joaquim. A—3,544.