HILO — University of Hawaii at Hilo men’s basketball coach GE Coleman trumpeted a culture change in his program last season.
The results so far this season would certainly indicate an improvement in talent.
Those were two important steps. But as Saturday’s 73-68 loss to Hawaii Pacific at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium exhibited, the Vulcans are facing another stumbling block.
Coleman says the Vulcans (4-5, 0-3 Pacific West Conference), who got a double-double from Tre Johnson (18 points, 12 rebounds) simply need to learn how to win.
“I keep saying it, but it’s the little things that win close games in league,” Coleman said. “It’s another step.
“I’d be lying if it wasn’t frustrating. It’s extremely frustrating. It’s all part of the process. We’ve been in every single game this year with a chance to win down the stretch. The next step is getting over the hump.”
Hawaii Pacific (5-2, 2-1) denied UH-Hilo that opportunity for the second time in eight days. Coming off an overtime victory against the Vulcans Dec. 6 in Honolulu, the Sharks never led by more than five Saturday.
UH-Hilo’s Darius Johnson-Wilson (14 points, eight rebounds) made a shot inside to tie the game 67-67 with 2:01 remaining in regulation.
The Vulcans not only fouled on the ensuing possession, but they fouled the wrong player, Justin Long. Long knocked down two free throws, finishing with a game-high 22 points and going 10 for 10 from the line.
Trailing by two with under 10 seconds remaining, Marcello Campbell (18 points) missed a 3-pointer. Johnson was fouled grabbing the rebound, but he missed a second free throw that would have tied the game.
Campbell also missed a pair of free throws with the Vulcans trailing by two with 6:07 left, but Coleman pinned the loss on his defense.
“We’ve got to be able to defend without fouling,” Coleman said. “We put them at the free-throw line quite a bit down the stretch and they converted.”
Both teams shot just above 46 percent, but the Sharks made 10 3-pointers.
Luke Hager contributed 17 points and eight rebounds for Hawaii Pacific, which was outrebounded 36-31.
Hawaii Pacific 37 36 — 73
UH-Hilo 36 32 — 68
Women
The Lady Vulcans erased a 10-point deficit before falling to the Sharks again, 71-63, despite a career-high 24 points from Hayley Reynolds.
Reynolds hit two free throws to tie the game 50-50 with 9:01 remaining, but Morganne Comstock answered with five straight points and Kylie Huerta (15 points, seven rebounds) hit a big 3-pointer and followed with a jumper to lift Hawaii Pacific (7-1, 3-0 PacWest).
The Vulcans (2-5, 1-2) played much better defensively than in a 91-65 loss to Hawaii Pacific on Dec. 6.
“We had more poise and patience offensively and got better shots,” UH-Hilo coach David Kaneshiro said of his team’s second-half surge in a university release. “It’s not any one thing. It’s just basketball. It’s quick moving, quick swings at times … you just got to move onto the next possession.
“When we were out of rhythm we could have let it get away but we didn’t. We just had some empty possessions.”
Reynolds was 9 of 10 from the floor and made all six of her free throws, but the Vulcans shot only 20 of 60, including 2 of 15 from 3-point range. McKenzie Mangino scored 13 points on 3-of-10 shooting, and Whitney Edens (3 of 8) added 10 points.
Chenise Peone led the Sharks with 16 points, while Comstock added nine points and eight rebounds. Hawaii Pacific won the battle of the boards 35-25.
Hawaii Pacific 40 31 —71
UH-Hilo 30 33 —63