3-3 (0-0BWC)
Hawai'i
5-1 (0-0WAC)
Putback by O'Brien at Buzzer Lifts Cal Poly Over Hawai'i 54-53
12/1/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Sophomore guard Chris O'Brien's putback at the buzzer lifted Cal Poly to a 54-53 victory over Hawai'i in a non-conference men's basketball game Wednesday night before 1,509 in Mott Gym.
Joston Thomas gave Hawai'i a 53-52 lead with a layup with 22.2 seconds remaining. Cal Poly called a timeout to set up the last play. Senior guard Shawn Lewis missed a three-pointer from the corner with four seconds left and junior center Will Donahue missed a six-footer in the lane with two seconds to go.
O'Brien (above, right) grabbed the rebound and Cal Poly's third shot of its final possession went through the net as the buzzer sounded.
The Mustangs embark on a five-game, 29-day road trip with a 3-3 record while Hawai'i, playing its first game on the road after five wins at home, fell to 5-1. The Rainbow Warriors have lost 12 straight road games.
Lewis finished with a game-high 15 points and three steals for Cal Poly. Junior forward David Hanson added 14 points -- his sixth straight double-digit game -- while O'Brien contributed 11 points and five rebounds. Donahue added eight points, six rebounds and five assists.
Hawai'i was led by Zane Johnson's 11 points and Thomas' 10 points.
Cal Poly led for all but one minute in the first half, sprinting to a 16-6 lead in the opening seven minutes. Hawaii's Bobby Miles hit a three-pointer with 55 seconds to go in the half to cap a 7-0 run and give the Rainbow Warriors a 28-26 advantage. That stood up as the halftime score -- Hawai'i leading despite turning the ball over 17 times.
In the second half, the score was tied three times and the lead changed hands five times. Neither team led by more than five points after intermission.
A layup by Hanson with 2:03 to play gave Cal Poly a 52-48 lead, but Johnson hit three free throws with 1:01 to go and Thomas' short baseline shot provided Hawai'i a 53-52 lead with 22.2 seconds to play, setting up the game-winning heroics by the Mustangs.
Cal Poly also beat Hawai'i 102-89 in the ESPN BracketBuster game on Feb. 20, 2010, in Honolulu.
Cal Poly won despite sinking just 18 of 54 floor shots (33 percent). The Mustangs missed 17 consecutive three-pointers midway through the game and finished 5-for-25. Cal Poly attempted 19 more floor shots than the Rainbow Warriors.
Hawaii, which made 51 percent of its floor shots (18 of 35), outrebounded Cal Poly 34-24, led by Vander Joaquim with 11, but finished with 27 turnovers.
The Mustangs, who lead the Big West in rebounding, were outrebounded for only the second time this season.
Cal Poly plays at Loyola Marymount on Saturday night. The Mustangs beat the Lions 55-48 on Nov. 24 in Mott Gym.
Cal Poly also visits UCLA on Dec. 11, San Diego State on Dec. 13, Cal on Dec. 18 and Pepperdine on Dec. 21 before returning home for its Big West Conference opener against Long Beach State on Thursday, Dec. 30, at 7:05 p.m.
