The Hawaii basketball team’s second-half performance wasn’t enough to complete a comeback from an 18-point deficit in a 78-72 loss to Grand Canyon tonight at Global Credit Union Arena in Phoenix.

UH power forward Gytis Nemeiksa came off the bench and scored 17 of his career-high 24 points in the second half. The Rainbow Warriors’ reserves outscored the Antelopes’ bench 49-14.

But the Bows’ early turnovers and inability to reach the line regularly led to their second defeat in seven games this season. Hawaii’s two-game road trip ends with Saturday’s Big West opener against Long Beach State. The Antelopes are also 5-2.

The ‘Bows closed at 64-62 on Nemeiksa’s 3 with 4:50 left. It was the Bows’ tenth shot in a row without a miss. But GCU winger Collin Moore hit a jumper from the top while being fouled by Marcus Greene. Moore’s subsequent free throw increased the score to 67-62.

UH guard Ryan Rapp’s layup cut the deficit to 67-66 with 2:28 to play. Tyon Grant-Foster then threw a no-look pass to the post, where Lok Wur turned it into a dunk that sparked the 5-0 run.

The Antelopes scored their last seven points on free throws. They were 24 of 32 from the line, including 17 of 21 on free throws in the second half.

UH had 12 of 20 free throws.

Against Grand Canyon, the Bows found themselves in a deep hole in the first half.

The Bows turned the ball over 13 times – the Antelopes had eight steals in the first half – missed seven of 16 free throws and were 2 of 11 from behind the arc as they fell behind 43-27 at the break.

The “Bows” had difficulties against the Antelopes’ ball pressure and transitions. In the first half, the Antelopes built a lead of 16-3 on turnovers and 18-10 on fast breaks.

Moore, a 6-foot-4 winger, set the pace with his drives and JaKobe Coles helped the Antelopes control the paint. Each had eight points in the first half.

Wur, who twice rejected the Bows’ recruiting efforts, threw two jams in the first half. In the first attack, he shot on a counterattack after Moore’s lob. Later, Wur caught an alley-oop pass from Styles Phipps for a thunderous dunk.