BELLINGHAM, Wash.—Two teams hoping to get off to a fast start in the 2017-18 basketball season met in the first game of the GNAC\PacWest Conference Challenge on Friday at WECU Court at Carver Gym.

Simon Fraser left the brand new facility happy, Hawai`i Hilo did not after an 87-75 victory for the Clan.

The Clan begin the year 1-0 and get revenge for a season-opening loss a year ago to the Vulcans (88-73). The Vulcans will get right back on the court tomorrow (Saturday) at 7:30 pm against the host and No. 19 ranked Western Washington Vikings in their remodeled arena.

Junior transfer Devin Johnson (Lower Columbia CC) led UH Hilo with 20 points and 10 rebounds in his Vulcan debut.

The Vulcans got off to a cold start, missing their first five shots but Simon Fraser couldn't find the range either, credit first-game nerves. A  Johnson basket got the Vulcans their first lead (3-2) and the 6-7 forward strolled down the key moments later and slammed home a dunk in traffic to tie the game at 10-10.

There were ten lead changes in the first half. The score was tied at 33-33 with just over three minutes before intermission before the Clan took some momentum into the locker room. Two fouls on Trey Ingram gave SFU four free throw chances, of which they made three. They took a 39-33 lead, before another Johnson slam cut the margin to 39-35 at the break.

UH Hilo shot just 40 percent from the field in the first half and converted just two of 13 trey attempts. Johnson had 12 points and five rebounds in the first 20 minutes.

In the second half, the Vulcans pulled to within one point twice, both on baskets by Ingram, the second coming with just over 13 minutes remaining (54-52). But back-to-back three-pointers by SFU's Kedar Salim and Michael Provenzano spurred the Clan on a 12-4 run. With 11 minutes remaining, Simon Fraser led 66-54 and UH Hilo would get no closer than seven points the rest of the way.

Ingram, a senior transfer from St. Martin's, finished with 19 points, hitting 3-of-6 three-point attempts. Senior point guard Ryley Callaghan added 13 points and Randan Berinobis had 12 rebounds.

But the Vulcans shot just 44 percent from the field and hit only six of 22 trey launches. They also shot 65 percent from the free throw line and had 16 turnovers in their season opener.

Iziah Sherman-Newsome, a 6-4 senior guard, had 26 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Clan. Four SFU players were in double figures.