Hawai'i finally busted through its Big West ceiling on Sunday night, ending a decade-long NCAA Tournament drought with a 71-64 win over UC Irvine to grab the league's automatic bid. The Rainbow Warriors muscled their way to the title in Henderson, Nev., leaning on a bruising, paint-heavy attack at Lee’s Family Forum to cap a 24-8 season in style.
Isaac Johnson set the tone with 22 points and a key go-ahead layup about 10 minutes into the second half, while Dre Bullock piled on 15 points and seven rebounds and punctuated the night with a breakaway two-hand dunk that all but ended UC Irvine's hopes. Harry Rouhliadeff powered his way to 15 points and 12 boards, and Jurian Dixon scored 17 for UC Irvine, which slipped to 23-11, according to The Associated Press.
How Hawaii Closed It Out
The second half turned into a tense back-and-forth, with both teams trading punches until Johnson slipped inside for the bucket that nudged Hawai'i back in front. From there, the Rainbow Warriors clamped down on the defensive glass and refused to give the Anteaters the second chances they had feasted on earlier. UC Irvine still clawed within 66-64 with 38 seconds to play, but the comeback stalled in the final possessions, and Bullock's late dunk served as the loud final word. The win snapped Hawai'i's 0-3 mark against UC Irvine in previous Big West tournament meetings and delivered the program's first Big West tournament crown since 2016. Official tournament records list Hawai'i as the 2026 champion, a run chronicled on Wikipedia.
What It Means Next
The trophy sends Hawai'i back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016 and hands coach Eran Ganot his first Big West tournament title with the program. With the automatic bid locked in, the Rainbow Warriors now turn their attention to Selection Sunday, waiting to see where they land in the bracket while trying to bottle this late-season surge all the way back to Honolulu. As reported by The Associated Press, Johnson's work in the lane and Bullock's emphatic finish were the difference-makers when it mattered most.
Fans who made the trip to Henderson got the drama in person at Lee’s Family Forum, the arena at 200 S. Green Valley Pkwy, while viewers across Hawai'i followed along on national television. The building, formerly known as the Dollar Loan Center, has hosted the Big West in recent years and now owns a prime place in Rainbow Warriors lore as the site where their March Madness return became official. Event and contact details for the venue are available on its official site, Lee’s Family Forum.
The championship also doubles as a parting shot in Hawai'i's final season in the Big West before its planned move to the Mountain West, adding extra juice for players, staff, and fans who wanted one last banner on the way out. Conference records and tournament history track both the program's Big West chapter and the next phase ahead, as listed on Wikipedia.
