For the second time this season, Noel Coleman hit a game-saving 3-point shot to get Hawaii to overtime against Cal State Fullerton.

For the second time, it did not matter.

The Titans outlasted the Rainbow Warriors in overtime, 62-60, after Coleman’s heroics at the regulation buzzer prolonged Thursday’s Big West tournament quarterfinal at Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, Nev., and CSUF advanced to Friday’s semifinals with their seventh straight win.

UH (22-11), despite attaining its most total wins since 2016, saw its season come to an end barring the slim prospect of participation in a postseason pay-for-play tournament like the College Basketball Invitational or The Basketball Classic.

After defending BWC tournament champion CSUF (19-12) shook off Coleman’s shot and eked ahead in the extra period — mirroring what happened in UH’s loss at Titan Gym on Jan. 7 — UH had another chance to extend the game.

With UH trailing by two, point guard JoVon McClanahan got fouled on a drive with 3.4 seconds left, but he was short on the first free throw and had to intentionally miss the second. UH, despite inserting 7-foot-1 Mor Seck into the game to pair with 6-10 Kamaka Hepa as its rebounders in the lane, was unable to come up with McClanahan’s hard carom off the front iron. It ended up in the hands of Latrell Wrightsell Jr., and UH, apparently stunned, allowed time to expire without fouling.

It was the fifth time in the last six editions of the Big West tournament that the Rainbow Warriors were knocked out in their opening game.

“Emotional locker room as you imagine, because we’ve got the greatest kids in the world,” UH coach Eran Ganot said. “We made a jump (this season), and we can make our next jump if we clean up a couple things. (We were) one of the best defensive teams in the country. Something we can build off there.

“A common theme is our offense never made the jump we needed to. … We did not move the ball well this year.”

Thursday’s game had a little of everything the 2022-23 season had to offer: Stellar defense, especially on covering the 3-point line; an inconsistent offense that was prone to disappearing entirely for long stretches; an unreliable bench that failed to score; a buzzer-beater; and an agonizingly close loss to one of the Big West’s title contenders.

The ‘Bows were undone this time by 18 turnovers compared to just four for the Titans, who enjoyed a 20-5 advantage in points off of the giveaways. It was especially telling in the final minutes of regulation as the Titans, who bothered UH with a quicker four-guard lineup, cranked up the defensive intensity; UH went the final 6:30 without a field goal until Coleman’s hero shot from the top of the key.

“I thought it started when we were up five (46-41) and could’ve separated, but we started doing that (isolation basketball) again, and that gave them confidence,” Ganot said. “Credit them, work for us to do this offseason. “

UH was just 1-for-3 from the field and 2-for-4 at the line in overtime, not including McClanahan’s intentional miss.

Co-captains Samuta Avea and Kamaka Hepa struggled to choke down emotions at the interview dais.

Avea had 19 points, 10 rebounds and five turnovers to cap his six-year career. He hit a couple of baseline jumpers early in the second half to maintain a six-point lead.

“I feel like I gave everything I got, and that’s something I feel I’ll be able to carry on … and I can live with that,” said Avea, the Kahuku High alumnus who returned this season after missing the last two. “A lot of lessons. Hard times and good times. It’s the beauty of life.”

Hepa, who’s come and gone as a scorer all season, had all seven of his points in the first half and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.

“I’m just kind of at a loss for words right now, but I’m definitely disappointed in myself,” Hepa said. “That’s just the bottom line.”

Coleman had 14 points and seven boards. Center Bernardo da Silva fouled out in overtime with eight points and five boards.

McClanahan struggled against the defense of Big West Defensive Player of the Year Tory San Antonio, finishing with a career-high six turnovers with his 12 points and five assists.

CSUF had 11 steals to UH’s one.

“These guys are resilient, but defense wins games,” Titans coach Dedrique Taylor said. “I thought our defense sputtered a little bit, credit to Hawaii, we needed to knock the rust off a little bit.”

CSUF, the hottest team in the conference in recent weeks, was frustrated by two opponents refusing or unable to play them because of a lack of healthy bodies. Nevertheless, the Titans advanced to face UC Irvine in the semifinals.

Coach Dedrique Taylor had the Titans run through a three-day mock tournament when UC San Diego backed out of CSUF’s would-be home finale, something Wrightsell credited to keep the team fresh.

Max Jones led the Titans with 18 points and six rebounds, and Wrightsell had 14 points and 10 boards.

The Titans unquestionably have UH’s number. CSUF knocked UH out in the semifinals in 2022, then beat UH in two close games in the 2023 regular season.

“We’ve been here before. Actually, the Hawaii game at home,” Wrightsell said. “We were up three, same scenario. (Coleman) hit it again. We’ve been through that scenario before and stayed the course.”

The narrative appeared to change in the opening minutes as UH jumped out to a 9-1 lead while Fullerton missed its first seven shots. However, Da Silva and backup center Mor Seck both picked up two quick fouls and took a seat and the lack of rim protection helped the Titans draw even.

UH committed eight turnovers in the first half to just one for Fullerton, yet still led 28-27 at intermission.

Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.