HONOLULU (AP) — Buddy Hield had 27 points and nine rebounds as No. 3 Oklahoma remained unbeaten, escaping with an 84-81 victory over Hawaii in a Diamond Head Classic semifinal on Wednesday night.
The Sooners (10-0) got a career-high 17 points from Khadeem Lattin and 14 from Isaiah Cousins.
Hield was 7 of 16 from the field, including 5 of 9 from 3-point range, and he made all six of his free throw attempts. He had 18 points at halftime.
Roderick Bobbitt scored a career-high 32 points and had six assists for the Rainbow Warriors (8-2), who had their four-game winning streak snapped. It was their first loss on their home court this season.
Hawaii had a chance to tie it at the buzzer, but Bobbitt’s desperation 3-pointer was no good.
Oklahoma, which led by as many as 16 points in the first half, was up 41-40 at halftime.
There were six ties and 12 lead changes in the game.
The game was tied at 75 on a slicing layup by Hawaii’s Isaac Fleming with 4:22 remaining, but the Sooners took the lead for good on two free throws by Hield with 1:42 to play.
Bobbitt drew a foul attempting a 3-pointer and made his first two attempts to get Hawaii within 83-81 with 4 seconds to play. He missed the third free throw intentionally and Lattin grabbed the rebound for Oklahoma.
Lattin made the first of two free throws before Hawaii got the ball back with 1.2 seconds to play.
Oklahoma got off to a hot start as Hield scored 16 points in the first 9 minutes. Akolda Manyang’s banker with 10:42 left in the half gave the Sooners a 25-9 lead, but the Rainbow Warriors went on an 8-1 run to take the lead at 27-26.
Hawaii scored 18 points off 12 Oklahoma turnovers and held the edge in bench points, 23-10.
Both teams were 24 of 33 from the free throw line.
Oklahoma leads the all-time series against Hawaii 2-1.
TIP-INS
Oklahoma: It was the 28th time in Hield’s career that he eclipsed the 20-point mark. He had a career-high 33 points against Creighton on Dec. 19, and 25 against Washington State on Tuesday.
Hawaii: It was the highest-ranked opponent for the Rainbow Warriors since beating No. 2 Kansas in the 1997 Rainbow Classic. It is their best start to a season since winning their first eight games in 2004.
UP NEXT
Oklahoma will play Harvard for the tournament title Friday.
Hawaii will meet Auburn in the third-place game Friday.
