Two wins in their previous three games gave the Hawks confidence they could upset the Blaze.

But they failed to cope with the home side’s physicality and were never in the hunt.

Down by 18 at half-time, Wollongong’s night went from bad to worse in the second half.

They made just 30 per cent of their shots for the game and were out-rebounded 38-26.

Gold Coast forward Mark Worthington led the assault with 25 points, while guards Adam Gibson, Adris DeLeon and Jason Cadee combined for 38.

Ayinde Ubaka (12) and Tim Coenraad (10) were the only players in double figures for the visitors.

The 41-point losing margin was the club’s heaviest loss in almost 23 years, while Wollongong’s dismal 50-point total was the second-lowest in club history.

Forward Glen Saville chalked up his 500th game in Hawks colours but the two-time Olympian would probably prefer to erase the shocking result from memory.

The Hawks slipped to 5-14 for the season and re-joined Adelaide at the bottom of the ladder.

Wollongong host titleholders New Zealand this Saturday.