Warriors topple Kent State

By Brian Windhorst
Special to the advertiser

University of Hawai'i's Carl English drives around Kent State's Anthony Wilkins during their Bracket Buster game. Associated Press

Despite those factors, especially considering the Rainbow Warriors' trouble in close games on the road this season, UH found a way to put things together down the stretch in a 79-78 upset of the Golden Flashes.

The result, in ESPN's Bracket Buster Saturday, virtually eliminated Kent State from contention for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid and energized the 'Bows as they head into their stretch run.

Hawai'i improved to 15-8; the Golden Flashes dropped to 18-6.

"We've lost four games just like that one already this season," UH head coach Riley Wallace said. "If you stay in the game long enough, these sort of things tend to balance out."

It was UH's first victory in the Eastern Time zone since a win over Fairfield in the National Invitation Tournament at New York in March 1974 and ended a bitter six-game road losing streak that included three one-point defeats. This time, when the heat was on, UH made the plays to win it.

With the game tied at 61 with four minutes left, guard Michael Kuebler came up with a huge 3-pointer that proved to be the turning point. Point guard Mark Campbell, who played a near flawless game with 10 points, seven assists and no turnovers, drove to the basket and found Kuebler open on the right wing for the momentum-swinging shot.

On its next three possessions, Kent State missed three 3-pointers and turned the ball over. Kuebler took advantage with one free throw and then another clutch jumper from 18 feet with 2:30 left to make it 67-61.

"We needed some momentum, hopefully it will start with this game," said Kuebler, who scored eight of his 12 points in the final four minutes. "We've been in these situations all year and this time we were able to turn the tide our way."

Kuebler and the other four UH starters all scored in double figures. Carl English led the way with 22; Phil Martin had 14 on 6-of-7 shooting and eight rebounds; Haim Shimonovich and Campbell had 10 points each.

All of the UH players shaved their heads before the game.

The game had been nip-and-tuck throughout. UH had a 39-34 lead at the half thanks to 15 points from English, but allowed the Flashes to go on a 12-3 run early in the second half to draw even.

English and Kent State's 6-foot-5 forward Antonio Gates provided the show for most of the game.

Gates, playing with a brace on his right knee after spraining a ligament earlier in the week, scored 30 points on a series of drives to the basket and pull-up jumpers. He shot 11-of-20 from the floor and 8-of-11 from the foul line.

"Gates is a great player," Wallace said. "He's much quicker and better than I thought he could be from watching him on film."

But Wallace said he was content to defend Gates one-on-one as long as UH stopped Kent State's accurate 3-point shooting. The Flashes finished 7-of-19 from long range for a .368 percentage. They entered the game among the national leaders with a .417 3-point percentage.

The 'Bows did start helping a little on Gates in the closing minutes, and that forced him into a turnover and a charge that kept Kent State from answering the Hawai'i surge.

Those were two of Gates' six turnovers, and the Flashes had 16 as a team, leading to 17 UH points.

"It's the little breakdowns that cost us," Kent State head coach Jim Christian said. "In a possession-by-possession game like this, those little mistakes creep up and bite you."

Campbell drained eight straight free throws in the final two minutes to push the Hawai'i lead to 75-67. The Flashes hit three 3-pointers in the final 17 seconds, including one at the buzzer, to tighten up the final score.

"I think they took us for granted," English said. "We've struggled on the road, but we are a good team and this win proved it."