Buggs, da Silva help Hawaii beat UTEP 67-63

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HONOLULU (AP) — Bernardo da Silva came off the bench to score 17 points and Drew Buggs scored five points in the final 39 seconds to lift Hawaii to a 67-63 win over UTEP in the Diamond Head Classic on Sunday night, the Rainbow Warriors' seventh consecutive home victory.

Buggs finished with nine points and eight assists. Samuta Avea had 16 points and eight rebounds for Hawaii (8-3) and Zigmars Raimo added six assists and five steals.

The Miners led by as many as nine points after the break and had a 51-43 lead midway through the second half. Avea hit a 3-pointer and then made a dunk - both assisted by Buggs - before his jumper capped a 7-0 spurt over a 64-second span to trim Hawaii's deficit to a point with nearly nine minutes to play. Buggs' layup with 39 seconds left capped a 10-2 run and gave the Rainbow Warriors a 64-60 lead.

Bryson Williams tied a career high with 33 points for the Miners (8-3). Daryl Edwards added 12 points. Souley Boum had 10 points.

Hawaii plays No. 22 Washington in the semfinals, and UTEP plays Ball State in a consolation game, Monday.

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