HENDERSON, Nev. — Latrell Wrightsell Jr. scored the go-ahead basket with 1:11 remaining and Hawai’i missed a chance to tie the game on free throws with 3.4 seconds remaining in overtime Thursday afternoon as Cal State Fullerton rallied past the Warriors, 62-60, in the Hercules Tires Big West Conference Men’s basketball quarterfinals.
A mostly partisan and vocal Hawai’i crowd of about 1,000 at the Dollar Loan Center Arena watched the Warriors’ season likely end at 22-11, while the Titans (19-12) advanced to Friday’s semifinal game vs. UC Irvine (23-10).
Just minutes before the crushing defeat, those same fans were cheering loudly as Noel Coleman drained a 24-footer from beyond the top of the key at the regulation horn to force overtime at 60-60, and then when McClanahan drained a jumper from the right elbow 30 seconds into OT to put UH ahead, 60-57.