UH men's hoops tied for first after beating UC San Diego

Rainbow Warriors improve to 17-5 overall and 9-3 in the Big West

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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The Hawaii basketball team held off UC San Diego's frenetic comeback attempt for a 72-67 victory at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. A crowd of 4,842 saw the Rainbow Warriors improve to 17-5 overall and 9-3 in the Big West, moving into a first-place tie with UC Irvine.

Why it matters

The win keeps Hawaii in contention for the Big West regular season title, which would be an important accomplishment for the program as they look to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

The details

The Tritons closed within 69-67 on Leo Beath's 3 with 13.5 seconds to play, but Hawaii's Hunter Erickson made one of two free throws to extend the lead to 70-67. The Tritons tried to work for a tying shot, but UH's Isaiah Kerr's defense on Aidan Burke resulted in a missed 3 from the left corner. Dre Bullock grabbed the rebound for UH with 3.2 seconds left and made two free throws to seal the victory.

  • The game was played on February 7, 2026 at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

The players

Hawaii Rainbow Warriors

The men's basketball team from the University of Hawaii.

UC San Diego Tritons

The men's basketball team from the University of California, San Diego.

Leo Beath

A player for the UC San Diego Tritons who hit a 3-pointer late in the game to bring the Tritons within 69-67.

Hunter Erickson

A player for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors who made one of two free throws to extend Hawaii's lead to 70-67 late in the game.

Isaiah Kerr

A player for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors whose defense on Aidan Burke resulted in a missed 3-pointer by the Tritons late in the game.

Dre Bullock

A player for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors who grabbed the rebound with 3.2 seconds left and made two free throws to seal the victory for Hawaii.

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What’s next

Hawaii will look to maintain their position atop the Big West standings as they continue conference play.

The takeaway

Hawaii's victory over UC San Diego keeps them in a first-place tie in the Big West, an important step towards securing an NCAA Tournament berth for the program.