When plans change, change the plan.

Hawaii had anticipated that it would be watching the NCAA selection show before Monday’s practice, preparing for an opponent as well as another road trip. The differences Monday afternoon were the four letters of the postseason basketball tournament — WNIT — and the notification being done via the Internet.

For the third consecutive year, the Rainbow Wahine (23-8) are on the road for the Women’s National Invitation Tournament, and for the second season in a row, it will be against a West Coast Conference squad. Saint Mary’s (20-10), making its sixth straight postseason appearance, will host Hawaii on Friday night in McKeon Pavilion.

Although Hawaii put in a bid to host, "we were pretty sure we’d be back on the road, despite the strong package our administration put together," Rainbow Wahine coach Laura Beeman said. "I think the bracket is a good one, but it’s not going to be an easy first-round game and not going to be easy (playing) there.

"Saint Mary’s is a very good team. I’ve known (Gaels coach) Paul Thomas for years from when he was at Cal Poly Pomona, where he won a couple of (NCAA Division II) national championships. They’re going to be well-coached, they rebound well, and won’t be a pushover by any means."

Ironically, the Rainbow Wahine — making their 14th postseason appearance in program history — have more players from Northern California (3) than do the Gaels (1), whose roster includes three players from Australia and one each from New Zealand and Germany. Expecting large numbers of family and friends to drive relatively short distances are Hawaii junior guard Marissa Wimbley, freshman forward Dalayna Sampton and freshman guard Jasmine Redmon.

"It is nice to be playing close to home," said Wimbley, who grew up some 90 miles east of Moraga, Calif., in Elk Grove. "If we couldn’t be playing here, I’m glad we’ll be playing somewhere we have family support.

"It’s a new season and we’re on a mission. We think we can make a good run."

Getting back on a winning streak will help alleviate some of the pain that has lingered from Saturday’s stunning 67-60 loss to CSUN in the Big West tournament final that snapped a 15-game winning streak. That Rainbow Wahine team "wasn’t us," senior captain Shawna-Lei Kuehu said. "We want to get back to being ‘us.’

"Yes, we had plans to be sitting together, watching (the selection show), but plans change and you have to change with it."

The plan now is to win one Friday, which would be Hawaii’s first postseason victory since winning three WNIT games at home in 2001. The Rainbow Wahine lost at New Mexico in the semifinals.

Also selected from the Big West was Long Beach State (22-9), which opens Thursday at San Diego (24-6). Hawaii lost to the Toreros in last year’s WNIT first round.

CSUN, the Big West tournament champion, was seeded 13th in the NCAA tournament, and drew a first-round game at fourth-seeded Stanford (24-9). The Wahine lost to Stanford 86-73 in November’s Waikiki Beach Mariott Shootout.

Should Hawaii win, the Wahine would play the winner of Thursday’s game between San Francisco and host Fresno State. Thursday’s winner would host the second round either Sunday or Monday.