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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, November 17, 2009

UH rally falls short, loses 81-75 to Northern Colorado


By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Hawaii's Hiram Thompson drives towards the basket as Northern Colorado's Will Figures guards him in the first period during the Rainbow Classic game at the Stan Sheriff on Monday night.

SCOTT MORIFUJI | The Honolulu Advertiser

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What started as Monday Madness finished as Tuesday Sadness for the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team.

Northern Colorado outlasted the Rainbow Warriors, 81-75, to win the 46th annual Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic in the wee hours of Tuesday morning.
A crowd of 2,513 was abuzz in the Stan Sheriff Center for the nationally-televised game, but the Bears ultimately provided the buzzkill.
"It was one of the best atmospheres we had here at the University of Hawai'i," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said. "The marketing department did their job, the students did their job, but unfortunately, we came up a little short."
The game started at 11 p.m. on Monday to accommodate ESPN's College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon. It was marketed as "Monday Madness" with several prize giveaways, and UH students were allowed in for free.
It finished after 1 a.m. on Tuesday.
"Game time is game time," Hawai'i junior guard Jeremy Lay said. "No matter if you play at 1 o'clock in the afternoon or 11 o'clock. Once it's time to play, you don't even know what time it is, you just know it's time to play."
Both teams came to play, as the game was close throughout.
A stunning 17-0 run by Northern Colorado broke it open in the second half, but the 'Bows ordered a furious rally at last call and made it exciting in the closing minutes.
The Bears had a 69-52 lead with 4:28 remaining, but the 'Bows got as close as 76-74 with 22 seconds remaining. Northern Colorado went 5 for 6 on free throws in the final 20 seconds to secure the win.
"We're never going to stop playing — it's not over 'til the final buzzer rings," said Lay, who re-energized the crowd with three 3-pointers in the final 90 seconds of the game. "We felt we could come back and win. Tonight just didn't bounce our way."
Lay finished with a game-high 18 points, including five 3-pointers.
Dwain Williams added 17 points and five assists, although he was limited to three points and one assist in the second half after Northern Colorado made a defensive adjustment.
Williams had 14 points in the first half, so the Bears put their defensive stopper — senior Yahosh Bonner — on him. Bonner is listed at 6 feet 1 and 215 pounds; Williams is listed at 6 feet and 175.
"There's not many guys you can talk about in college basketball who can change a game defensively, but he's one of them," Northern Colorado head coach Tad Boyle said. "Our pressure starts with him."
Williams finished 4 of 16 from the field, including 1 of 8 from 3-point range.
"Dwain is a tremendous player, has a tremendous amount of pride," Nash said. "But he has to learn to control his emotions and play with the team."
Williams said: "Obviously when (Bonner) got on me, he was a little more physical. But I think it was mostly my concentration. I had a lot of open shots, I just wasn't fortunate enough to make them tonight."
Bonner was also the spark during the Bears' decisive 17-0 run. He scored seven points during the surge, as Northern Colorado turned a 52-all tie into a 69-52 lead.
Bonner, who finished with 14 points, was named the most valuable player of the tournament.
"With all due respect to Hawai'i, I just thought we out-executed them in the second half," Boyle said.
The 'Bows committed 16 turnovers in the game, including nine in the second half. The 16 turnovers led directly to 25 points for the Bears.
The first 32 minutes of the game went back and forth, with neither team leading by more than five. The Bears took a 32-30 lead at intermission.
"This game is an up and down game," Nash said. "Tonight, they had the run at the right time."
The 'Bows dropped to 2-1 and placed second in the four-team Rainbow Classic.
Hawai'i shot just 38.3 percent from the field, although the 75 points was a season high.
Roderick Flemings finished with 12 points and nine rebounds for the 'Bows, although he shot 3 of 12 from the field. Petras Balocka added 12 points and seven rebounds.
Flemings, Lay and Williams were all named to the all-tournament team.
Will Figures led Northern Colorado with 15 points and was also named to the all-tournament team, along with teammates Bonner and Chris Kaba.
Northern Colorado, which was picked to finish sixth in the Big Sky Conference preseason poll, is 3-0.