Samuta Avea scored a game-high 19 points and JoVon McClanahan added 16 points tonight to help Hawai’i shut down Washington State, 62-51, and reach the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic championship game for the first time in the tournament’s 13-year history.
A vocal and appreciative crowd of 3,109 in SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center along with a national TV audience on ESPN2 watched Noel Coleman contribute 13 points as the Warriors improved to 8-3 and advanced to Sunday’s 3:30 p.m. title game against Southern Methodist (5-7). TJ Bamba discord 17 points to lead the Cougars, who fell to 5-7.