This one could leave a mark.
Omar Lo scored two baskets in the final minute Monday night, including the go-ahead layup with 14 second remaining, and Notre Dame de Namur came back to beat UH-Hilo 66-64 in Belmont, Calif.
The Vulcans (4-10, 3-4 PacWest) took the lead late in the first half and were ahead until Lo’s dunk with 43 seconds left, losing for the sixth time in seven men’s college basketball games.
UHH’s last field goal came with 2:08 left on a driving basket by Anthony Canencia. Ryley Callaghan missed a shot to tie as time expired.
The Vulcans, playing without a slew of inside players, were led by Eric Wattree’s career-high 18 points. The sophomore guard hit 5 of 11 on 3-pointers. Randan Berinobis had a double-double with 14 points and ten rebounds, while Canencia added a career-best 11 points, hitting 5 of 6 from the field.
Lo, a 6-foot-9 post, finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds for the Argonauts (4-10, 3-4), who snapped a five-game losing streak.
Earlier in the women’s game, UHH avoided the kind of road loss that can kill a trip, using a strong first half and a late surge at the free-throw line by Allie Navarette to beat the Notre Dame de Namur 81-76.
Navarette hit 11 of 12 free throw attempts in the final 42 seconds and finished 16 of 18 from the line en route to a career-high 26 points for the Vulcans (4-5, 3-4), who led 37-24 at halftime after going 7 of 11 from 3-point range.
“Our energy was good,” coach David Kaneshiro said. “The first half was the best half of basketball we’ve played this season, especially defensively.”
Sara Shimizu also had a Vulcan career-best, scoring 15 points, making three 3-pointers, with seven rebounds as UHH avenged a loss to the Argonauts (8-9, 5-4) less than two weeks ago. Safia Sheikh added 14 points, Danielle Dacosta added 11 and Alyssa Movchan was the fifth Vulcan in double figures with 10. Navarette had seven rebounds, while Dacosta and Sheikh had six boards each.
“Some after the game in the locker room said this was a good team win,” Kaneshiro said. “I agree.”
Marissa Caballero led the Argonauts with 21.