ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Aaron Valdes scored 14 points, Stefan Jankovic scored all 10 of his points in the second half, and Hawaii hung on late to beat Long Beach State 64-60 in the Big West Conference Tournament championship game Saturday night.
The Rainbow Warriors (27-5) earned an automatic bid to their fifth NCAA Tournament and first since 2002.
Top-seeded Hawaii blew a 12-point, second-half lead and was tied at 58, but Jankovic hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 2:45 to go and the Rainbow Warriors made it stand up.
Nick Faust scored 17 points before fouling out to lead the third-seeded 49ers (20-14).
Justin Bibbins missed a potential go-ahead 3-pointer for Long Beach State with 5 seconds to go, and Noah Blackwell and A.J. Spencer missed potential go-ahead 3s in the final 90 seconds as well. The 49ers finished 5 for 22 from 3-point range.
