Utah beats Hawaii 66-52 in Diamond Head Classic

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HONOLULU — David Collette scored 17 points and Utah beat Hawaii 66-52 in a consolation semifinal of the Diamond Head Classic Friday.

HONOLULU — David Collette scored 17 points and Utah beat Hawaii 66-52 in a consolation semifinal of the Diamond Head Classic Friday.

Collette shot 7 of 11 from the field and grabbed nine rebounds playing in just his third game for the Utes (8-3). Lorenzo Bonham chipped in 11 points and nine rebounds.

Collette’s layup with 9:48 left to play gave Utah its largest lead at 49-29. Hawaii (4-7) got as close as 54-44 after a 15-5 run capped by a pair of Jack Purchase free throws with 3:01 remaining.

The Utes shot 47.1 percent from the field (24 of 51) and outrebounded the Rainbow Warriors 38-25.

Utah also dominated Hawaii in points in the paint, 40-18. The Utes recorded seven blocks, three each by Collette and Jayce Johnson.

Purchase scored 13 points and Brocke Stepteau added 11 for the Rainbow Warriors.

Hawaii made just three of its first 16 attempts from the field and shot 25 percent (6 of 24) before the break, tying a Diamond Head Classic record for fewest points scored in a first half (USC vs. Western Michigan, 2009).

The Rainbow Warriors shot 29.4 percent (15 of 51) from the field for the game.

Utah closed out the first half with a 12-3 run to take a 31-18 lead at halftime.

San Francisco 66, Illinois State 58

Freshman Charles Minlend scored a career-high 17 points and Frankie Ferrari had a career-high 16 as San Francisco defeated Illinois State 66-58 in the Diamond Head Classic Friday night.

San Francisco (10-2) will play San Diego State in the tournament’s championship game on Christmas night. The Dons shot 14 for 26 from the free throw line.

Ferrari scored eight points off the bench in the first half and was a starter in the second half.

Stephen F. Austin 67, S. Mississippi 64

Ivan Canete finished with 18 points and Kevin Harris added 13 points and 10 rebounds to lead Stephen F. Austin to a 67-64 win over Southern Mississippi in the Diamond Head Classic on Friday night.

Cortez Edwards missed a 3 to tie it and Canete grabbed the rebound with five seconds left to secure the win.

Leon Gilmore III made a pair of free throws to tie it at 46, and his dunk with 10:34 left gave Stephen F. Austin (5-6) the lead. Michael Ramey made a pair of free throws for Southern Mississippi (3-8) with 5:43 left to tie it at 57.

San Diego State 82, Tulsa 63

Jeremy Hemsley scored 20 points that included three 3-pointers during a flurry of seven straight Aztec treys that broke the game open and sent San Diego State to an 82-63 victory over Tulsa in the semifinals of the Diamond Head Classic on Friday.

With the score tied and 11 minutes to go, the Aztecs went on a 21-4 run with the seven 3-pointers over a span of 5:13 to lead 73-56.

SDSU (7-4) came in averaging 33 percent from the arc but made 13 of 32 for 41 percent against Tulsa, including a buzzer-beating bank shot by Trey Kell from just inside halfcourt that gave the Aztecs a 41-37 halftime lead.

Hemsley finished with five 3-pointers. Kell, with three treys, scored 19 points, and made five steals. Zylan Cheatham added 15 points.