Hawaii Cruises Past UC Riverside in Big West Matchup

Rainbow Warriors win big at home to extend conference lead

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors continued their strong season with a dominant home victory over the UC Riverside Highlanders in a Big West conference matchup. Hawaii, led by standout performances from Isaac Johnson and Dre Bullock, cruised to an 87-65 win over the struggling Highlanders.

Why it matters

This win keeps Hawaii firmly in contention for the Big West regular season title, as they improve to 22-7 overall and 14-5 in conference play. Meanwhile, UC Riverside falls to 10-22 on the season and 5-15 in the Big West, making their path to the postseason increasingly difficult.

The details

Hawaii jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, leading by as many as 25 points in the second half. The Rainbow Warriors shot 46% from the field and 38% from three-point range, while limiting UC Riverside to just 43% shooting overall. Isaac Johnson led Hawaii with 18 points, while Dre Bullock added 12 points and 9 rebounds. For UC Riverside, Andrew Henderson scored a team-high 16 points in the losing effort.

  • The game was played on Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST.
  • Hawaii has now won 11 of its last 12 home games.

The players

Isaac Johnson

The leading scorer for Hawaii, averaging 13.7 points per game on the season.

Dre Bullock

Hawaii's leading rebounder, grabbing 5.9 boards per contest.

Andrew Henderson

UC Riverside's top scorer, averaging 17.8 points per game.

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What they’re saying

“We came out with a lot of energy and really set the tone early. Our defense was the key to getting this win tonight.”

— Isaac Johnson, Hawaii Guard (Hawaii News Now)

What’s next

Hawaii will look to continue their strong conference play when they host UC Santa Barbara on Saturday. UC Riverside will try to rebound at home against Cal State Fullerton next week.

The takeaway

Hawaii's dominant home win over UC Riverside showcases their status as one of the top teams in the Big West this season, while the Highlanders' struggles on the road continue to hamper their conference title aspirations.