HILO, Hawai`i—Senior transfers Larry Bush and James Griffin had 23 points each as host Hawai`i Hilo opened the 2018-19 season in the win column with an 86-80 win over the University of Alaska on Monday night at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.

Bush and Griffin introduced themselves to the crowd of 642 on a night where eight new Vulcans contributed to the win. Bush, a lefty guard who transferred from UNLV, hit 8-of-11 shots and tallied his 23 points in just 20 minutes of play because of foul trouble. Griffin (West Liberty), had a complete game of 23 points, six rebounds and four assists.

To the get the win, the Vulcans had to overcome lots of foul trouble, a first half deficit, and 33 points/16 rebounds from Alaska's Michael Kluting.

UH Hilo, with nine new players on the roster and just three returnees, took a 23-14 first half lead on a trey by one of the veterans, Cleo Cain (23-14). The Vulcans were playing tough perimeter defense on the Nanooks (0-3), who hit a total of 25 three-pointers in their first two games at Chaminade and Hawaii Pacific.

But the game was called tight, so in playing pressure defense the Vulcans started to accumulate fouls. Bush, Devin Johnson, Jordan Graves and Damani Whitlock all had to spend more bench time than head coach GE Coleman had planned for with foul trouble.

The Nanooks took advantage and went on a 20-4 run to take a 34-27 lead, and they would hold a margin to intermission—although Denhym Brooke's dunk with four seconds left cut the deficit to 39-37 at the break. Alaska shot 60 percent from the field in the first half and Kluting was already close to a double-double with 11 points and eight boards.

The Vulcans got the lead back pretty quickly in the second half. Bush's three-point play gave the home team the lead (42-41). Bush hit a long-range three-pointer a few minutes later (45-43) and the teams then traded leads for the next few minutes.

The contest was tied at 62-62 near the halfway point of the second half. A few moments later, Griffin hit a trey to give the Vulcans a 65-62 margin, leading to a 9-4 run. Freshman Jalen Thompson hit a pair of three's and Jordan Graves nailed one as the Vulcans built on their lead. Thompson's second trifecta gave UHH a nine-point edge at 76-67.

The Nanooks answered again behind the 6-foot-7 Kluting and Aushanti Potts-Woods, who would finish with 26 points on a variety of drives to the basket. Potts-Woods scored with 4:33 left to tie the game at 78-78. Griffin got the lead back for the Vulcans a few moments later (3:50) and then neither team scored for over three minutes. Bush then added insurance in the paint and at the free throw line, and Thompson sealed the game with free throws to account for the final six-point margin with 8.2 seconds left.

The Vulcans held the Nanooks to just six three-pointers made. UH Hilo hit nine of their own (9-of-23). While Bush and Griffin were the only players in double figures, Graves added nine points in his debut and Thompson had eight. Kupaa Harrison had eight rebounds to lead his team in that category, while Johnson had seven. Brooke had three blocked shots, including two late in the game to help stymie Kluting on the same possession.

"I thought everyone contributed," said Coleman after the game. We have a lot to work on but it is always great to begin the year 1-0."

The Vulcans will continue a season-beginning homestand with Thursday and Saturday games against Simpson College, who is 4-1 to start the year. Start time both nights will be 7:30 p.m.