HONOLULU — The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team concluded the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic with a 65-51 loss to TCU in the third-place game on Christmas Eve at the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. The Rainbow Warriors dropped to 8-4 after suffering back-to-back losses for the first time this season.

 

Much like their semifinal loss two days before to Georgia Tech, the Rainbow Warriors played catch up for much of the game as TCU led for just over 36 minutes and trailed for just 12 seconds.

 

Jameer Nelson Jr. led a balanced TCU attack with 13 points. The Horned Frogs were held nearly 20 points below their season average, but got the win by holding UH to season lows in points and field-goal percentage (33.3%). TCU, led by head coach and former UH assistant Jamie Dixon, came into the game averaging 88.5 points per game and the Horned Frogs’ total on Sunday was also a season low.. 

 

After a rare scoreless performance in UH’s last game, guard Noel Coleman responded with a game-high 19 points on 6-of-12 shooting to lead the Rainbow Warriors. The senior is now just six points shy of 1,000 points for his UH career. 

It was just a two-point game, 20-18, at the 6:55 mark of the first half, but the Horned Frogs went on a 16-6 run to take a double-digit lead. Coleman, who scored 13 first-half points, gave the ‘Bows some life going into the break with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that made the score 36-27 at the half.

 

TCU scored the first four points of the second half and led by at least nine the rest of the way. UH guard Juan Munoz hit two 3-pointers to help keep the UH in contention and the ‘Bows closed to nine at 57-48 on Ryan Rapp’s layup with 4:59 left. But the Horned Frogs went on an 8-0 run — with Nelson accounting for six points — to seal the outcome.

 

UH, which committed just four turnovers two nights earlier versus Georgia Tech, had nine in the first half versus TCU. The ‘Bows finished with a season-high 19 and TCU scored 17 points off of turnovers. 

 

The Rainbow Warriors now direct their attention to the start of Big West play as the open at home versus Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, Dec. 30. Tipoff is 7:00 p.m.

Dec. 24 Results

7th Place Game: Temple 55, Portland 54

5th Place Game: UMass 87, Old Dominion 65

3rd Place Game: TCU 65, Hawai’i 51

Championship: Nevada 72, Georgia Tech 64

All-Tournament Team

Josh Cohen, UMass

Emmanuel Miller, TCU

Baye Ndongo, Georgia Tech

Keenan Blackshear, Nevada

Most Outstanding Player: Jerod Lucas, Nevada

#HawaiiMBB

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