Hawaii edges Long Beach State in five sets on night one

Hawaii edges Long Beach State in five sets on night one

Mar 20, 2026

Hawaii edges Long Beach State in five sets on night one

The Hawai’i Men’s Volleyball team celebrates after beating Long Beach in five sets. | Photo: Brock Jones (@brockhawaii)

The last time the University of Hawai’i men’s volleyball team beat Long Beach State inside the Pyramid, most of the current roster hadn’t entered middle school yet.

That changed on Friday night as No. 3 Hawai’i (18-3, 1-0 Big West) opened the conference schedule with a statement, downing No. 2 Long Beach State (14-3, 0-1 Big West) in five sets on the continent, (26-24, 23-25, 25-19, 20-25, 15-12).

Kristian Titriyski led the Rainbow Warriors to the road victory, tallying a team-best 13 kills on 35 swings while adding four blocks and five digs in the grind-it-out slugfest against LBSU. The sophomore opposite missed the last three matchups with the Beach for UH with a variety of injuries, but made his impact felt on Friday as he finally debuted against one of the program’s biggest rivals.

Hawai’i sophomore Kristian Titriyski puts down a kill from the left side for match point against Long Beach. | Photo: Brock Jones (@brockhawaii)

Tread Rosenthal was one of more than a handful of players to go down with a cramp during the match but remained in by practically playing on one leg. The 6-foot-11 junior setter dished out 35 assists while tallying seven kills in eight swings and five block assists as he helped will the Rainbow Warriors over the finish line to an elusive victory in the Pyramid.

The night’s opening frame set a tone of needing to go the extra distance to secure a win to begin Big West play, seeing Long Beach State fight off three UH set points before the first frame ended with an ace from Hawai’i middle blocker Justin Todd.

Both squads hit for their highest percentage in the night’s opening set, seeing the Rainbow Warriors tally a scorching .455 hitting percentage while the Beach committed six attacking errors but still racked up .382 of their swings while on the offensive.

After a 7-3 start by the Rainbow Warriors, the second set saw a similar tug-of-war between the Big West heavyweights as the Beach fought back to take a 15-14 advantage by the midway point of the frame behind the help of some sloppiness from Hawai’i. LBSU would eventually secure the stanza, 25-23, to tie the match at a set apiece after the Rainbow Warriors committed 12 errors in the frame.

The third set gave a case of déjà vu to onlookers as Hawai’i jumped out to a 7-3 advantage once again, but Long Beach State hit just .065 as a group in the frame as the Rainbow Warrior block began to get more active on the way to a comfortable 25-19 decision.

Middle blocker Ofeck Hazan was inserted into the lineup after the second set and made an impact for Hawai’i. | Photo: Brock Jones (@brockhawaii)

Long Beach state swung back with a comfortable win of their own in the fourth round between the rivals, forcing a winner-take-all fifth set after holding Hawai’i under .100 on the attack themselves.

Tread Rosenthal became the latest of the multitude of players on the night to fight through a lower leg cramp, going down to the floor multiple times to get stretched out in the fourth set. Hawai’i already watched junior outside hitter Louis Sakanoko put on his jacket and sit for the remainder of the night after cramping in the second set and two separate LBSU players had also folded to the floor after having muscles tighten throughout the match.

“The cramping thing, it’s got to be related to the heat here in Southern California,” head coach Charlie Wade told Set Point’s Teran Rodriguez following the match. “I know that we’re scheduling team IV here tonight in the postgame so we can have a shot to come back out and get another win tomorrow.”

Hawai’i secured the first win in two chances at Long Beach State with another tug-and-pull tight set to finish the night, taking the fifth frame behind a rejuvenated Kristian Titriyski. The sophomore nearly put up a flatline on the stat line entering the final stanza with 10 kills and nine attack errors, but finished the night with three more massive kills, no more errors and his only ace of the match to help clinch a 15-12 deciding frame over LBSU.

Freshman opposite Wojciech Gajek had a career-high 22 kills to lead the Beach, adding a pair of aces and eight digs in the loss. Senior outside hitter Skyler Varga tacked on 15 kills and committed eight attacking errors on 43 swings for LBSU.

Hawai’i and LBSU will go for Round 2 on Saturday night inside the Pyramid. First serve is scheduled for 4 p.m. HT and can be watched with an ESPN+ subscription.

The Hawai’i faithful that made the trip were stand for match point against Long Beach. | Photo: Brock Jones (@brockhawaii)

Setter Tread Rosenthal celebrates after a point in the early stages of the match. | Photo: Brock Jones (@brockhawaii)

 

Rising Defensive Prospect Davian Whitener Commits to Hawaii

Rising Defensive Prospect Davian Whitener Commits to Hawaii

Jun 30, 2026

Davian Whitener spent months weighing one of the biggest decisions of his football career. When the process finally came to an end, the feeling was a mix of excitement and relief. The Class of 2027 prospect from Desert Mountain High School has...

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

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

Mar 19, 2026

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

Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) shoots against Hawaii Rainbow Warriors forward Gytis Nemeiksa (5) and guard Dre Bullock (4) 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

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.

Rising Defensive Prospect Davian Whitener Commits to Hawaii

Rising Defensive Prospect Davian Whitener Commits to Hawaii

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Davian Whitener spent months weighing one of the biggest decisions of his football career. When the process finally came to an end, the feeling was a mix of excitement and relief. The Class of 2027 prospect from Desert Mountain High School has...

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Hawaii draws Arkansas in 2026 NCAA Tournament opening round

Hawaii draws Arkansas in 2026 NCAA Tournament opening round

Mar 15, 2026

Hawaii draws Arkansas in 2026 NCAA Tournament opening round

The Hawai’i men’s basketball team poses during the program’s Selection Sunday watch party in Las Vegas. | Photo Credit: Ku’ulei Agbayani, HSRN

HONOLULU – Déjà vu dancing.

After winning the 2026 Credit Union 1 Big West Championship title over UC Irvine on Saturday night, the University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team comfortably watched on and waited to hear their name called on Selection Sunday.

Just like the program’s appearance from a decade prior, the Rainbow Warriors received a spot on the 13-seed line for the 2026 edition of the NCAA Tournament. Unlike the 2016 run, UH will need to traverse through the West Region quadrant this time around as they take on fourth-seeded Arkansas (26-8) on Thursday, March 19 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.

“It’s been my dream ever since I was a little kid,” Hawai’i senior forward Harry Rouhliadeff said about watching the Rainbow Warriors get revealed on the bracket. “It was really surreal … Seeing Hawai’i up there, I was so proud and just so proud of our team, too.”

Hawai’i downed UC Irvine in the final conference matchup between the bitter rivals in Henderson, winning the Big West’s automatic bid for the fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.

The Razorbacks won the SEC Tournament earlier on Sunday, taking down Vanderbilt by 11 for the program’s first conference tournament championship since 2000. Star freshman G Darius Acuff Jr. won tournament MVP honors after posting a 30-point, 11-assist double-double in the title game for Arkansas.

“We’re playing a really good program, a program and staff that we have a lot of respect for and a quick turnaround,” Hawai’i head coach Eran Ganot said immediately after the bracket was revealed.

Much like UH’s 2016 matchup against Jaylen Brown and the Cal Bears, Arkansas features future NBA talent and plenty of size and skill.

The Razorbacks boast four different double-digit scorers, led by Acuff Jr.’s 22.7 points per night. The freshman has tallied 10+ points in every single contest for the SEC tournament champs and has scored 30 or more in five different games in his lone collegiate season.

The SEC tournament champions will be sure to test a Rainbow Warrior defense that has ranked amongst the best in the nation throughout the 2025-26 campaign. Hawai’i has KenPom’s 43rd-best national defensive rating and will face off against an Arkansas unit that finished with KenPom’s sixth-best national offensive rating.

It’ll be critical for UH to slow down that dynamic Razorbacks attack, one that has racked up 27 of Evan Miyakawa’s “kill shots” – 10-0 or better runs – to help sprint away from opponents this season. Of Arkansas’ 26 wins, 11 have come by a margin of 15 or more.

Hawai’i has done well limiting opponents from hitting them with a “kill shot” according to Miyakawa, allowing eight total runs of 10 or more points to opposing offenses this season. It’s tied for the 25th-best mark in the country and one better than the Razorbacks.

Regardless of the result in Thursday’s opening round in Portland, the Rainbow Warriors have reached the national tournament for the second time in Eran Ganot’s 11-year tenure and first time since the rest of the staff and players arrived in the islands.

They’re all taking it in accordingly.

“To build back up to this moment 10 years later, having been in the program ever since 2016 as a player, and then a coach, it means the world to me,” said assistant coach Gibson Johnson of the long climb back to being the best in the Big West. “Holding my kids in my arms, telling my 5-year-old that we’re champions brought tears to my eyes. It means so much to me and I know it means so much to the community.”

As for the focus for the Rainbow Warriors’ matchup against the Razorbacks?

They’d be smart to just follow the lead of their captain.

“It might be my last dance in college sports,” Rouhliadeff said. “I’m just going to go out there and play my best basketball.”

The NCAA Tournament ticket for Hawai’i. | Photo Credit: Ku’ulei Agbayani, HSRN

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Hawaii overpowers UC Irvine to claim 2026 Big West men’s basketball title

Hawaii overpowers UC Irvine to claim 2026 Big West men’s basketball title

Mar 14, 2026

Hawaii overpowers UC Irvine to claim 2026 Big West men’s basketball title

Hawai’i celebrates after winning the 2026 Credit Union 1 Big West Championships title game over UC Irvine. | Photo Credit: Ku’ulei Agbayani, HSRN

As the final seconds ticked off the clock inside Lee’s Family Forum, emotion swelled from the Rainbow Warrior bench.

The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team punched their ticket to March Madness on Saturday night, upsetting top-seeded UC Irvine in the 2026 Credit Union 1 Big West Basketball Championship title game, 71-64, and claiming the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament in the process.

“Just wow,” head coach Eran Ganot said after the win. “You’re pretty locked in [to the game], but when that happens, the moment happens – and I tell our guys all the time – the journey is all that floods through your mind.”

This Hawai’i team’s journey started a little over a calendar year ago, coming after the program missed out on the conference tournament for the first time in 13 campaigns as members of the Big West.

It forced the coaching staff to look in the mirror, trying to find what went wrong for a program that had previously come off consecutive 20-win seasons before the 2024-25 debacle.

Facing a second straight offseason of mass roster overhaul, Hawai’i aggressively attacked the portal with plans of bringing in players with a winning DNA. The staff liked the successes of previous higher-major transfers that saw upticks in role and minutes when coming to the islands and pushed to add another that could play as a crown jewel of the new recruiting class.

It’s pretty safe to say that senior Isaac Johnson ended up being exactly what they were looking for.

Johnson, the transfer from Utah State who goes by “Big Fish” in these waters, earned the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player honors after posting 22 points, seven rebounds and three blocks to help clinch the championship over the Anteaters. It was a performance fit for the lone UH player to make all-Big West 1st-team in 2026.

He was one of a couple Rainbow Warriors to be overwhelmed by emotions just a week prior. Seven days after suffering heartbreak in Hawai’i with their chance at a share of the regular season conference crown slipping through the cracks on Senior Night, the big man helped Hawai’i bounce back and end their Big West run overwhelmed by a new group of emotions.

“If not getting a ring that night meant getting a ring tonight, I’ll take it 100 times out of 100,” a smiling Johnson said after leading UH to a conference title for the first time since 2016.

Johnson helped Hawai’i get out of the gates again on Saturday, scoring a pair of tough buckets in the opening seven minutes to keep the No. 2 seeded Rainbow Warriors knotted with the Anteaters in the early going.

Senior forward Harry Rouhliadeff gave Hawai’i its first lead with 12:06 left in the first half, draining the first of his two 3-pointers to put the Rainbow Warriors up, 11-8. He followed it up a few minutes later with a hookshot and Big Fish rained down back-to-back triples to put UH ahead by eight as the clock ticked under the seven-minute mark and sent the pro-Hawai’i crowd into a craze.

Isaiah Kerr, a sneaky portal pickup by the Rainbow Warriors out of Division II’s Chico State, helped maneuver the final few minutes of the first half after Johnson picked up his second foul with 2:22 remaining as the junior sped to the rim for a pair of tough finishes to keep Hawai’i leading by a point heading into halftime.

Hawai’i’s most explosive portal addition helped the No. 2 seed get off the ground after halftime as senior guard Dre Bullock scored seven of the team’s first 11 points in the second half to grab a four-point cushion by the under-16 media timeout.

UC Irvine fought back to tie the game at 44 with 13:06 to play, but Kerr halted the Anteaters’ momentum with consecutive threes to put the Rainbow Warriors back up by four as the clock ticked under 12 minutes left in regulation.

After UCI knotted it again at 50, Johnson flexed his muscles with a pair of inside finishes before Hunter Erickson, the January 10 hero for Hawai’i against the Anteaters, drained his first shot of the night from the top of the arc to give a 57-50 advantage to the Rainbow Warriors with 8:45 remaining.

It was a lead that they would not relinquish.

Rouhliadeff, who provided the game-tying putback in the final seconds of regulation in Hawai’i’s dramatic overtime win over UC Santa Barbara on February 21, showed off his Captain Clutch gene again down the stretch as he finished a layup through contact and drained his second 3-pointer of the game to keep the Rainbow Warriors up six with under six minutes to play.

Johnson pushed the lead to seven with 1:30 left, but a personal 5-0 run by UCI forward Kyle Evans over the next 52 seconds made it a two-point game again with 38 seconds still to go. Rouhliadeff provided a quick cushion, finishing a fast break layup as Johnson dished it ahead after moving through the UCI full court pressure.

Bullock provided the exclamation point for the Rainbow Warriors’ return to March a few seconds later, slamming a two-handed windmill dunk home for the dagger to the delight of the massive Hawai’i contingent in attendance in Henderson.

Rouhliadeff posted his second double-double in as many days for Hawai’i, scoring 15 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in 24 minutes of work. Bullock, an all-Big West 2nd-team selection, added 15 points, seven rebounds and four steals while playing 37 minutes and taking turns guarding UCI all-tournament team standouts Derin Saran and Jurian Dixon.

Dixon scored a team-high 17 points on 6-of-15 shooting while Saran added 13 points on a 4-for-15 showing from the floor in the loss for the top-seeded Anteaters. Kyle Evans, the Big West Defensive Player of the Year, tallied a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds going with three rejections in 35 minutes for UC Irvine.

Rouhliadeff and Bullock each earned spots on the Big West all-tournament team alongside Johnson for their postseason performances. They each also pointed to the regular season finale as a much-needed reality check before the tournament, one that propelled the team to back-to-back wins and punched a ticket to March Madness.

“As much as it hurts to say, that [LBSU loss] was probably the best thing that could’ve happened to us,” Rouhliadeff sheepishly said with a smile. “It probably kept us grounded going into this tournament. We knew it was going to be hard; there’s no doubt about that.”

Bullock echoed the sentiment.

“We were kinda feeling ourselves a little bit during that [winning streak], but we learned from it, watched film, grew from it and brought our energy to Vegas and shifted gears quickly,” said Hawai’i’s high-flying senior guard.

That gear shift by UH helped complete a dream turnaround after last year’s nightmare.

After not making the conference tournament in 2025, the Rainbow Warriors won the whole thing in 2026 as a parting gift. Hawai’i will join the Mountain West as a full-time member next season, ending a 14-year run in the Big West with league titles 10 years apart from each other.

On Sunday at noon HT, Hawai’i (23-8) will find out where they’re heading in the opening round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. It’s just the sixth time in program history that the Rainbow Warriors have qualified for a chance at the national tournament.

Regardless of where their team is sent, there will be a celebration continuing in the islands that’s been a decade in the making.

It’s time to put on your dancing shoes and drop everything else that you’ve got to do, Hawai’i fans.

The Rainbow Warriors are heading back to the Big Dance.

Rising Defensive Prospect Davian Whitener Commits to Hawaii

Rising Defensive Prospect Davian Whitener Commits to Hawaii

Jun 30, 2026

Davian Whitener spent months weighing one of the biggest decisions of his football career. When the process finally came to an end, the feeling was a mix of excitement and relief. The Class of 2027 prospect from Desert Mountain High School has...

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Offensive miscues doom Hawaii in straight set loss to UCLA

Offensive miscues doom Hawaii in straight set loss to UCLA

Mar 14, 2026

Offensive miscues doom Hawaii in straight set loss to UCLA

Hawai’i suffered its worst hitting performance of the season in a straight set loss to No. 1 UCLA. | Photo: Michael Lasquero,

MANOA — Just wasn’t their night.

The University of Hawai‘i men’s volleyball team had an off night offensively and fell to No. 1 UCLA in straight sets Saturday before a sellout crowd at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

Set scores were 25-18, 25-20 and 30-28.

Hawai‘i hit a season-low .207 and committed seven hitting errors in each set as the Rainbow Warriors (16-3) struggled to find their usual offensive efficiency.

Coach Charlie Wade called the miscues “uncharacteristic,” noting several were unforced errors, particularly on the quick back-row attack. Two Hawai’i starters finished with negative hitting percentages.

“We generally are much more efficient,” Wade said. “Those were some unforced errors that we haven’t seen too much of.”

Hawai’i coach Charlie Wade looks on during the second set against UCLA. | Photo: Michael Lasquero

After Friday’s Outrigger Invitational matches were canceled because of severe weather, Hawai‘i took two sets to find its rhythm before pushing the Bruins to overtime in the third set. The Rainbow Warriors held leads in both the second and third sets but were unable to close them out.

Adrien Roure led Hawai’i with 11 kills.

Despite stormy weather conditions, 8,927 fans packed the arena to watch the matchup against the nation’s top-ranked team.

“They came out here in the storm to watch us — and we get 3-0 — but at least we fought and gave everything we had tonight,” Roure said. “It just wasn’t our night, but it’s amazing to see that many people coming out tonight.”

It was a sellout crowd at Bankoh Arena for the Rainbow Warriors’ match against No. 1 UCLA. | Photo: Michael Lasquero

Kristian Titriyski added nine kills off the bench, including eight in the third set.

Titriyski and outside hitter Finn Kearney started the third set and sparked a rally that produced three set points for the Rainbow Warriors.

“At that point you’re down 0-2 and see what we can do,” Wade said of the lineup change. “It’s nice to know when somebody else is having a little bit of an off night that guys can come in and give us a lift.”

Kristian Titriyski and Finn Kearney embrace after a point in the third set against UCLA. | Photo: Michael Lasquero

UCLA eventually closed the match on its third match point when Cameron Thorne recorded a kill off a free-ball opportunity.

The Bruins (18-0) remained unbeaten behind Sean Kelly, who finished with 15 kills while hitting .609 with just one error in 23 attempts.

“Hats off to UCLA and Sean Kelly was impressive,” Wade said. “Even when we got in front of him, he was hitting all kinds of crazy angles, catching sidelines.”

The match also marked the return of former Hawai‘i assistant coach Milan Zarkovic, now UCLA’s associate head coach.

Former Hawai’i assistant coach Milan Zarkovic is now on the UCLA’s coaching staff. | Photo: Michael Lasquero

“Nice the crowd gave him a nice ovation,” Wade said. “We’ve always said we have the best fans and they appreciate people whether you played here or coached here. We’ve had players come back and get a nice round of applause. It’s nice.”

Hawai‘i will close out the tournament Sunday with a makeup match against Lewis. First serve is scheduled for 5 p.m.

UH Athletics NIL Bill Fails Final Senate Vote

UH Athletics NIL Bill Fails Final Senate Vote

by | May 9, 2026

Updated May 13, 2026Just one week after conference committee members described SB 3263 as a “win-win situation” for University of Hawai‘i student-athletes, the measure failed to pass final reading in the Hawai‘i State Senate on Friday in a dramatic reversal that...

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UC San Diego halts red-hot Hawai’i in Big West Championship

UC San Diego halts red-hot Hawai’i in Big West Championship

Mar 14, 2026

UC San Diego halts red-hot Hawai’i in Big West Championship

Bailey Flavell (right) dribbles down the court alongside a trailing Ritorya Tamilo (left) during the 2026 Credit Union 1 Big West Championships title game. | Photo Credit: Ku’ulei Agbayani, HSRN

The clock has struck midnight on Hawai’i’s fairytale Big West finale.

After back-to-back magical overtime wins in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, the University of Hawai’i women’s basketball team’s 2026 Credit Union 1 Big West Championship run ran out of gas in the conference title game on Saturday against No. 2 seed UC San Diego, 60-48.

The defending tournament champion Tritons, who split the regular season Big West crown with top-seeded UC Irvine, were led by junior center Erin Condron’s 22 points and 14 rebounds. The first-team All-Big West selection was dominant in the second half, scoring 16 of her points and grabbing nine rebounds after the break to help UC San Diego erase a double-digit deficit for the program’s second straight Big West Tournament title.

Senior guard Makayla Rose was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after wrapping up her conference career with a 17-point, eight-rebound performance to help cool off the scorching hot Rainbow Wahine. The conference’s Defensive Player of the Year and Co-Hustle Player of the Year, Rose also racked up a game-high five steals as the Tritons forced 19 turnovers by UH.

Hawai’i (22-11) struggled at the start, going nearly five minutes without a point before Kyra Webb finally got them on the board with a spinning hook to make it a 4-2 deficit at the first media timeout for the Rainbow Wahine.

Keiara Curtis helped UH step on the gas to close out the opening frame, knocking down a pair of free throws and drilling her lone 3-pointer of the day as part of a 13-2 run that opened a seven-point lead for the Rainbow Wahine. UCSD’s Makayla Rose answered with a triple of her own to make it a four-point game after 10 minutes of action, capitalizing on the sixth turnover by Hawai’i in the first quarter.

Jovi Lefotu helped keep the Rainbow Wahine in front with a pair of layups as the second quarter wound down, holding off a push from Tritons guard Rosa Smith before Ritorya Tamilo rattled off five straight points to open up a 28-18 lead for Hawai’i with 1:05 left in the first half.

Erin Condron closed the quarter with the final bucket, finally getting on track in the last minute of the half after being held to four points over the previous 19 minutes.

After Dymonique Maxie split a pair of free throws to begin the third quarter, Bailey Flavell and Saniyah Neverson took turns finishing feeds from Teyahna Bond and Curtis to extend the lead to a game-high 11 points for Hawai’i two minutes into the second half.

UC San Diego found its footing again by leaning on Rose and Condron, seeing each chip in a pair of buckets as part of an 11-0 run that tied the game at 32 for the Tritons with 3:55 to play in the third. A finish from Tamilo and triple from Lefotu kept the Rainbow Wahine ahead until the final minute of the frame when Condron and Rose combined for a 6-0 run to send UCSD into the final 10 minutes leading by three.

Toiling through a third high-intensity game in as many days, the Rainbow Wahine saw the offense sputter in the fourth quarter as they made just four of their final 13 attempts from the field while the fresher Tritons (who enjoyed the benefits of a double bye after earning the conference’s No. 2 seed) sizzled to a 67% shooting clip over the championship-clinching 10 minutes.

“It was definitely hard,” senior forward Saniyah Neverson said when asked about the team’s stamina after playing in back-to-back overtime contests leading up to the conference title game. “But I think we fought as hard as we could. That’s just a good team and we gave it our all.”

Bailey Flavell led the Rainbow Wahine with 13 points in the loss, grabbing five rebounds while shooting 6-of-14 from the field. Neverson chipped in eight points, six rebounds and four blocks while matching Flavell for a team-high 33 minutes of work.

Flavell and Imani Perez each were named to the Big West all-tournament team for their efforts over the course of the weekend. Condron also made all-tournament team for UC San Diego along with Rose being named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

“Congratulations to UC San Diego,” Hawai’i head coach Laura Beeman said. “They’ve had our number all year long. A very experienced team, their guard play has been exceptional all year long and I thought Erin Condron had a phenomenal game today.”

Beeman’s voice broke momentarily as she closed her opening statement talking about her team that rallied to win 16 of the final 17 contests before the Big West Championship title game.

“Unless you’re from Hawai’i, you don’t know what it feels like when you play for a state,” the Rainbow Wahine head coach said. “There’s a level of disappointment that’s very different when you play for a state. So, tough locker room. Love these kids, super proud of them, we weren’t supposed to be here but they’re amazing.”

Hawai’i will await to see if their season will continue with a bid to either the WBIT or WNIT after falling short of claiming the Big West’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The 48-team WNIT team field will be revealed after the WBIT and NCAA Tournament fields come out on Sunday afternoon.

The 2026 NCAA Tournament (WBB) selection show begins at 2 p.m. HT while the reveal of the WBIT bracket begins at 3 p.m. HT and can be found on ESPN+ on Sunday, March 15. The WNIT field can be found HERE.

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