Acuff, Arkansas end special Hawai’i season in NCAA Tournament opening round

As Isaac Johnson turned to the Rainbow Warrior faithful, the big man who goes by “Big Fish” provided a poignant visual to end an unforgettable campaign for the University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team.

Flashing a double shaka to the UH fans who had made the trek out to the Moda Center in Portland, Johnson walked with his teammates back to the bench knowing that a special ride was under a minute away from its end.

Along with a slight smile and glisten in his eyes that’d been around from the moment he met the Rainbow Warrior fanbase, Johnson shared hugs with the coaching staff that had helped the former four-star recruit re-find a love for the game that he thought he’d lost.

A 13th-seeded Hawai’i (24-9) saw their Cinderella dreams go up in smoke as they fell to fourth-seeded Arkansas (27-8) in the opening round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Thursday, 97-78. Freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. led the way for the SEC Tournament champions with a game-high 24 points and seven assists, finishing as one of five different Razorbacks in double figures.

Johnson had 15 points and five rebounds for the Rainbow Warriors in the loss, playing just 24 minutes as he dealt with foul woes for the majority of the second half. There was the disappointment of losing, but Johnson wasn’t going to go without one last thank you.

For Big Fish, the double shakas were for loved ones – both long time and new ‘ohana.

“We had so much family there today,” Johnson responded when asked about his double-shaka salute. “My immediate family, my parents, my wife, my father-in-law, and then the rest of our Hawai’i ‘ohana. I just was so grateful for them, for the love and support that they’ve given me. When I came to Hawai’i, I was newly married and I had no idea what was going on with life and with basketball, I had zero confidence.”

The seven-footer choked back emotions as he went on thanking his coaches, teammates and the University of Hawai’i fanbase for believing in him from his first day in the islands and sticking through as the ride got bumpy at times through the 2025-26 season.

“I was bummed that we couldn’t play today the way that [the fans] deserve, but I am grateful for the way we were able to put on all season,” Johnson said. “[The double shakas] was just a thank you to them, so mahalo to everybody who came to help get us to this point.”

Fellow senior Dre Bullock paced Hawai’i with 21 points, eight rebounds and three steals, becoming just the fourth player in program history to eclipse 20 points in an NCAA Tournament game. Like Johnson, the high-flying guard was quick to throw praise towards the fanbase of Hawai’i for the smattering of support the team received regardless of where they played.

Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Hawaii Rainbow Warriors guard Dre Bullock (4) dunks against Arkansas Razorbacks forward Billy Richmond III (24) in the second half during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

“Shoutout our fans, they showed up to Portland, showed up to Vegas, they show up in Hawai’i, Cali, wherever we’re going to, our fans [are] always there supporting us,” said Bullock. “Didn’t get the job done, what we wanted to, but I’m just happy to put on this uniform, play our hearts out and leave it all out there on the floor … We’ve got the best fans in the world.”

Arkansas, winners of eight of their last nine games over the past month, threw the first punch as they scored 15 of the first 17 points and raced out of the gates to a 20-4 lead over Hawai’i after seven minutes of action. The Rainbow Warriors made just 2-of-13 from the floor to start and turned the ball over four times in that seven-minute span before Isaiah Kerr’s and-one finish flicked the light switch on.

Hawai’i nearly played even with the Razorbacks for the final 13 minutes of the opening stanza, cutting the deficit to single digits with 6:47 left and remaining within striking distance until Johnson picked up his second foul just over a minute later. With Johnson glued to the bench with foul woes for the final five minutes of the half, Arkansas ripped off a variety of acrobatic dunks to help open back up an 18-point lead heading into the locker room, 54-36.

The Rainbow Warriors struck back to start the second half, scoring 11 of the first 13 points out of the break to bring it back to an 11-point game as Bullock, Johnson and Harry Rouhliadeff took turns attacking the paint.

Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Hawaii Rainbow Warriors center Isaac Johnson (20) dunks in the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Aided by Johnson picking up his third foul with 16:15 to play, Arkansas answered the UH rally again with a 6-0 run to calm the waters. Despite Bullock and Rouhliadeff trying to keep the Rainbow Warriors above water, Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. continued to toss weight on UH’s ankle weights with back-to-back layups and his second triple of the afternoon to make it a 20-point game with 12:17 remaining.

Johnson returned again to try and spark another rally, but his fourth foul with under 10 minutes to play essentially ended any chance for the Rainbow Warriors to bounce back down the stretch as the Razorbacks got to the rim at will to nullify UH’s improved offensive efforts.

Ike Finlinson ended the day with 12 points in the loss for Hawai’i, drilling two of his three 3-point attempts while dishing out a pair of assists. Isaiah Kerr added 11 points and five assists, providing a spark at the guard spot in 25 minutes off the bench for the Rainbow Warriors.

Despite the loss, the Hawai’i faithful in attendance were in full throat as their heroes walked off the floor one last time in Portland. The standing ovation was a scene that the team had become used to this year, though in much different circumstances.

It was one last reminder of how special the 2025-26 season was for the people in the islands. For head coach Eran Ganot, it was the greatness of the Hawai’i fanbase on display for the world to see.

“I’ve called it the power of the Hawai’i fanbase, there’s nothing like it,” Ganot said. “I really wish everybody could be so fortunate. The love and aloha you feel… Like we walked out of the hotel [in Portland] and the hotel was rocking. And then we go onto the bus, and even the walk to the bus … You know, we’re 2,500 miles away from here and we feel like we’re at home.”

The Rainbow Warriors will now return home after their sixth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, keeping heads held high. Six seniors will graduate, the transfer portal will open and an entirely new Hawai’i team will return on the other side.

But for the Hawai’i fanbase, the 2025-26 team will live on forevermore. From the Big Fish chomps to Big West windmill daggers by Dre, this edition of the Rainbow Warriors returned the program back to a trajectory they belong on as they enter a new era.

Into the Mountain West they go.