Hawaii rides 17-0 run to big win over Cal State Fullerton in Big West men’s basketball

Hawaii used a 17-point run in the second half today to blow past Cal State Fullerton 72-55 in a game between two of the top teams in Big West men’s basketball.

The Rainbow Warriors and Titans are tied for second at 7-3 behind Long Beach State, which is 9-1. Fullerton is 14-8 and UH 12-8 overall after the game attended by 3,432 at SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center. The game was televised nationally on ESPN2.

Noel Coleman scored eight consecutive points in the 17-point run that also featured seven in a row by Jerome Desrosiers, who finished with nine.

Coleman was game-high with 24 points. Bernardo da Silva added 12 for Hawaii, which snapped a three-game losing streak.

>> PHOTOS: Hawaii vs. Cal State Fullerton

Fullerton used a 12-point run to go up 15-7 early in the first half.

The Warriors fired back, and re-took the lead 21-20 on Junior Madut’s 3-pointer. That was followed by a dunk from Desrosiers when Madut found him lurking alone wide open under the basket.

Coleman’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer gave UH a 30-24 halftime lead. Hawaii scored 17 of the half’s last 21 points.

The Titans scored the first four points of the second half, but then UH went on its decisive run.

Vincent Lee and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. led Fullerton with nine points each.