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VIDEO: Post-Game Press Conference
VIDEO: Game Highlights

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team overcame a sluggish first half with a huge scoring run to start the second in a 75-44 victory over Cal State Fullerton in the quarterfinal round of the Big West Tournament, Thursday, at the Honda Center.
 
The top-seeded Rainbow Warriors (25-5) advances to Friday's semifinals against the lowest remaining seed left in the tournament following the completion of the quarterfinal round. UH's semifinal game begins at 6:30 p.m. PT (4:30 p.m. HT) and the game will be televised online at ESPN3 and on a delayed basis on ESPNU.

CSF guard Khalil Ahmad hit consecutive free throws to open second half while a jumper from Tim Myles with 17:33 to go was CSF's final advantage, as the Rainbow Warriors responded with huge 19-2 run to build its lead to 16. The run spanned 29-3 over a seven-minute period and the 'Bows all but secured the victory with a 57-33 lead at the midway mark of the second half. Guard Aaron Valdes scored 10 of his game-high 18 points during the run which was capped by Mike Thomas' old-fashioned three-point play. Thomas finished the game with 12 points and 12 rebounds for his first double-double.

Valdes lit up the scoreboard in the second half, shooting 71.4 percent from the field to pace the 'Bows, including a 3-for-4 mark from beyond the arc, recording 14 of his team-high 18 points in the second. He also tallied five assists to lead UH.
 
UH grew its lead to as many as 31 points down the stretch, en route to their second-straight opening round Big West Tournament victory, and first under first-year head coach Eran Ganot. The 'Bows are now 2-2 in Big West quarterfinals since joining the conference and swept the series with CSF outright.

Bobbitt maintained his role as conference steals leader, grabbing four additional picks in the second half against the Titans to unseat Tom Henderson (1973-74) as the all-time UH career steals leader. On the afternoon, Bobbitt shot 5-for-12 from the field for 14 points, while Stefan Jankovic rounded out the quartet of Rainbow Warriors reaching double figures, scoring 12 points, including a pair from long range, recording three blocks and four rebounds.

UH built up an eight-point advantage in the first half after senior Bobbitt hit his second three-pointer to push UH ahead 21-13 with 7:44 to go. As the offense slowed beyond the mid-point of the half, the 'Bows saw their lead diminish after scoring only twice in the final 6:30 of the opening period, but UH was able to maintain its lead, limiting CSF to only 34.4 percent shooting in the first.
 
The UH lead shrunk in the closing two minutes, but Valdes' huge putback dunk with under a minute to go broke up the scoring drought and pushed UH ahead by six. The Titans answered with two buckets in the final 10 seconds, including a huge three at the buzzer by Jamar Akoh to close the gap to within one at 27-26 heading into halftime.
 
Akoh led the Titans (10-20) with 12 points.