Posted at 9:16 p.m., Thursday, January 31, 2008
Gibson leads hot-shooting Hawaii to upset over NMSU
Advertiser Staff
Matt Gibson amassed 20 points and 11 assists to lead hot-shooting Hawaii to a 94-71 upset of New Mexico State tonight in a Western Athletic Conference men's basketball game at Stan Sheriff Center.Jared Dillinger hit 5 of 9 3-point attempts and added 19 for UH. Riley Luettgerodt chipped in 17 points and Bobby Nash 16 for the Rainbow Warrriors, who hit 11 of 23 3-point attempts for the game. Overall, UH hit 22 of 40 field-goal attempts (55 percent).
UH built a double-digit lead early, taking a 43-29 halftime lead.
New Mexico State led 13-12 but UH took the lead for good as Dillinger and Gibson hit successive 3-pointers for a 18-13 lead. The Aggies stayed close, trailing 23-19, before the Rainbows got hot again. Gibson hit a jumper and followed that by converting a three-point play to make it 28-19. Nash and Dillinger followed by hitting 3-pointers, ballooning UH's lead to 34-19. After an Aggie basket, Luettgerodt joined the 3-point fest to make it 37-21.
New Mexico State closed to 10 points in the second half but UH pulled away again.
UH, however, might have suffered another blow as forward P.J. Owsley injured his right knee in the second half. UH already is without starting forward Stephen Verwers, who is out with a broken leg.
