HILO, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Hilo Men's Basketball narrowly fell to No. 12 Cal State Dominguez Hills, 61-57, Saturday afternoon on the first day of the Southwest Airlines Big Island Invitational held at the Vulcan Gymnasium.
The Vulcans chased 21 points at halftime but came storming out the break shooting 7 of 10 from the field through the first media timeout at the 14:24 mark. Overall, the home team improved on its .187 shooting percentage in the opening half by going .566 through the final 20 minutes. The Vulcans were also 0 of 8 from beyond the arc in the first half.
Hawai'i Hilo made its most headway with a 13-0 run through the final quarter of action to make it a late 52-54 deficit. The Toros tried to pull away but Alex Horiuk and Dre Nobles (3-pointer) made clutch baskets through the final minute-plus to keep the score within two points. With 14 seconds to go, the Vulcans had a chance to tie with a long-range shot but the attempt was blocked at the perimeter as the Toros managed to hold on for the win.
GAMES NOTES
- Hawai'i Hilo's Jamal Entezami led all scorers with 17 points. Horiuk totaled his first career double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds along with four blocks.
- CSUDH's Josiah Sanders also managed to finish with a double-double on 14 points and 10 rebounds.
- Hawai'i Hilo: 0-3 Overall (0-0 PacWest)
- Cal State Dominguez Hills: 2-2 Overall (0-0 CCAA)
- The Toros finished as last season's National Championship runner-up.
- It was the second weekend in a row contests originally scheduled for the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium were moved to the Vulcan Gym, marking the first on-campus home games since the 2020-21 season during the COVID-19 pandemic.
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES BIG ISLAND INVITATIONAL (VULCAN GYM)
- Saturday, Nov. 22
- 2 PM: Hawai'i Hilo 57 - Cal State Dominguez Hills 61
- 4 PM: Colorado Colorado Springs 85 - Cal Poly Pomona 84
- Sunday, Nov. 23
- NOON: Colorado Colorado Springs vs Cal State Dominguez Hills
- 2 PM: Hawai'i Hilo vs Cal Poly Pomona
PACWEST PRESEASON POLL
Hawai'i Hilo was voted No. 2 in the Pacific West Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, tying with Fresno Pacific. The Vulcans finished the 2024-25 regular season in a three-way tie at No. 4 in the conference standings and was one of six teams to qualify for the PacWest Conference Championships postseason tournament, falling to defending champ Point Loma in the semifinal round. The 2025-26 PacWest Championships will be hosted by PLNU on March 5-7 in San Diego.
PURCHASE TICKETS
Season and individual tickets for the Vulcans' 16 home matches at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium are available for purchase at HiloAthletics.com/tickets. Season tickets are $135 ($70 for seniors 65+ and middle/high school students) and also includes admission to an additional 13 Vulcans Women's Basketball home events.
BUY LIVESTREAM PACKAGE
Video livestreaming will be available for all home events this season through the PacWest Network, powered by Hudl TV. More information is available at HiloAthletics.com/livestream. Single-game passes are offered at $15 with a season-package price of $180.
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
Southwest Airlines Co. operates one of the world's most admired and awarded airlines, offering its one-of-a-kind value and hospitality at 117 airports across 11 countries. Southwest took flight in 1971 to democratize the sky through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel and now carries more air travelers flying nonstop within the United States than any other airline1. By empowering its more than 72,000 People to deliver unparalleled hospitality, the maverick airline cherishes a passionate loyalty among more than 140 million Customers carried in 2024. Southwest leverages a unique legacy and mission to serve communities around the world including harnessing the power of its People and Purpose to put communities at the Heart of its success. Learn more by visiting Southwest.com/citizenship.
