Hawai’i opens Diamond Head Classic with impressive win over Charlotte 

HONOLULU – Dancing into the semifinals. 

The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team turned in one of the best performances of the 2024-25 season on Sunday night, going wire-to-wire and taking down the Charlotte 49ers (6-5) in the final quarterfinal matchup of the opening day 2024 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, 78-61. Gytis Nemeikša matched a career-high with 24 points to go along with seven rebounds to lead the Rainbow Warriors to their second straight win. 

Marcus Greene added a season-high 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting (3-of-7 3PT) to help power Hawai’i (7-3) into a date with the Nebraska Corn Huskers on Monday evening, the seventh time the Rainbow Warriors have advanced to the semifinal round of the holiday tournament. The starting lineup combined for 59 of UH’s 78 points despite Kody Williams being held scoreless after dealing with foul trouble all night. 

The Rainbow Warriors raced out to an early nine-point lead behind an aggressive Nemeikša, who flushed a two-handed jam over a Charlotte defender to set the tone from the jump. An early Greene triple along with a finish around the cup by the guard gave the tournament hosts an 11-2 lead after five minutes of action while the defense gave the 49ers fits. 

“Just a lot of fun being out here,” Greene said postgame. “First time playing in the Diamond Head [Classic], so we came out with some energy and was excited to really attack the 40 minutes and go off from the jump.” 

Charlotte forward Robert Braswell IV’s three-pointer from the left wing with 7:30 left in the first half pulled the 49ers back within single digits, but the Rainbow Warriors restored a healthy 16-point lead with a pair of Nemeikša three-pointers sandwiching a two-handed Marcus Greene flush to force a timeout by the 49ers with under four minutes before the break. 

Marcus Greene dunks with two hands on the fast break for Hawai’i. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Following the timeout, the 49ers looked like they would bring the game back within single digits as they scored eight of the next ten points to make it 39-29 with 1:10 remaining, but Tom Beattie followed his own miss for a putback to spark a miniature 5-2 run to close the period for Hawai’i and take a 44-31 halftime lead. 

Charlotte scored six of the first eight points to begin the second half to make it a nine-point game before Hawai’i answered with a 9-0 run, capped by an and-one finish by Tanner Christensen with 14:32 left in regulation. Back-to-back buckets by Nemeikša gave the Rainbow Warriors a 20-point advantage two minutes later, sending the 3,000 fans in attendance into a craze. 

“That’s what I’m trying to do, just keep the energy up and be that energy guy to keep my team up,” Nemeikša said when asked about his relentless attacking style. “That’s what I like to do.” 

Hawai’i’s largest lead of the evening came at the 9:23 mark as Harry Rouhliadeff hit a tough jumper falling away from a defender to make it 64-43. The 49ers continued to fight, cutting the deficit to 13 with just over four and a half minutes left, but ultimately dropped the second-ever meeting with the Rainbow Warriors as Nemeikša and Greene backed in the win for the hosts. 

Jaehshon Thomas led the 49ers with 16 points on an efficient 6-of-10 shooting performance while Nik Graves added 13 points in the loss. Charlotte will take on Murray State on Monday in the consolation bracket. 

Tom Beattie enjoyed one of his best games in a month, scoring nine points (4-of-6 FG) off the bench for UH and finishing as a +12 in his 21 minutes of work. The sophomore guard attacked with a more decisive mindset and finished strong while still providing his usual extra effort boost with three rebounds and a steal in the win. 

Harry Rouhliadeff added six points off the bench while Ryan Rapp stuffed the stat sheet once again with eight points, three rebounds and three assists in his fourth start of the season. Hawai’i dominated on the glass, winning the rebounding battle 37-21 over the 49ers and snatching 10 offensive boards in the process. 

Hawai’i will take on Nebraska in the second of two semifinal games on Monday evening, tipping off around 5:30 p.m. HT after the conclusion of the first semifinal between Oakland and Oregon State. It will be 10 years and a day after the last meeting between the Cornhuskers and the Rainbow Warriors, coming in the 2014 edition of the Diamond Head Classic as UH won 66-58. 

“[Nebraska] is a top 25 [caliber] team, they’re either close to getting votes or right on the cusp and they’ve been consistent all year, playing their best basketball with a tough schedule,” Hawai’i head coach Eran Ganot said of the Rainbow Warriors’ semifinal opponent. “They’re well-coached, strong, physical … The reward [for winning] is a heck of a challenge and that’s what you live for as a competitor. A lot of respect for them and their staff, they’re putting themselves in position to be – clearly – an NCAA Tournament team.” 

The Cornhuskers (8-2) enter Monday night’s game coming off an elite defensive performance, holding Murray State to a season-low 49 points to help Nebraska to its first-ever win over the Racers. The Big 10 representatives will try to do the same thing against the hosts on Monday, entering the matchup at 0-5 all-time against the Rainbow Warriors.