The Hawaii men’s basketball team wants to get the New Year’s Eve party started early.
Plenty of fireworks are promised at the Stan Sheriff Center when the resurgent Rainbow Warriors take on explosive No. 19 UNLV starting at 3 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Both teams are coming off triple-digit scoring outputs — UNLV a 124-75 win over Central Arkansas on Wednesday and UH a 100-73 rout of South Carolina State on Thursday.
NO. 19 UNLV (14-2) AT HAWAII (8-5)
» When: Today, 3 p.m.
» Where: Stan Sheriff Center
» TV: OC Sports, Ch. 12
» Radio: KKEA, 1420-AM
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UH (8-5) has won six of its past seven and has seen multiple players step up with big nights over that span. But it would be difficult to find a tougher foe in the ‘Bows’ last game before Western Athletic Conference play; the Runnin’ Rebels (14-2) have also won six of seven. And they knocked off the likes of then-No. 1 North Carolina on Nov. 26 using a brand of fast-paced and efficient ball.
UH coach Gib Arnold urged fans to help bring in the New Year in style as the ‘Bows go for their second win over a ranked team in a week.
"There’s great excitement going on right now for UH basketball, and we’ve been playing some pretty entertaining games," Arnold said. "I think the fans have enjoyed it and the 3 o’clock start time gives them enough time to go home and have dinner with the family and go catch the New Year’s Eve party.
"Let’s get the party started here at the Stan Sheriff. Bring your fireworks. I don’t know if Rich (arena manager Sheriff) is going to allow us to set them off, but who knows?"
UH could use the advantage of a boisterous crowd. UNLV set Mountain West Conference records in points and assists (40) in the demolition of Central Arkansas.
Guard Chace Stanback, the Rebels’ top scorer (15.5 ppg), was named MWC Player of the Week for shooting 9-for-11 on 3-pointers in that game. He’s made 20 of his past 27 from long range — and is shooting 50 percent from deep this season — thanks in part to an offense predicated on a two-point-guard attack of Oscar Bellfield and Anthony Marshall.
UNLV is third in the country in assists at 19.3 per game and 12th in scoring at 81.2 ppg. The Rebels are lethal both in transition and in the halfcourt; they typically have four 3-point shooters on the floor at any given time.
"That assist number is a key figure for us, if not the end-all, but it’s the first thing I look at from an offensive standpoint," said Dave Rice, the first-year Rebels coach who came over from BYU. "How many baskets we scored, and how many of those baskets were assisted."
UH will try not to get sucked into an up-tempo game against the Runnin’ Rebels, who’ve lived up to their name all season. Arnold, who oversaw scout duties himself, said he considers UNLV the toughest opponent UH has faced, including Gonzaga and Xavier.
"We definitely want to get them in a halfcourt instead of an up-tempo style," Arnold said. "I think we’ll be a lot more successful (there) than in them getting out and running."
Unlike the Dec. 23 upset of then-No. 14 XU, UH encounters a ranked foe riding serious momentum. Much of UNLV’s offense is predicated on scoring quickly off opponents’ misses and turnovers.
"I think we count on our defense as our staple and try to create offense out of our defense," Rice said. "But I can’t say enough of how impressed I am with the improvement Hawaii’s made and how they’re playing right now."
UH feels pretty good about where it is, too. Senior guard Zane Johnson (team-best 15.4 ppg) has rediscovered his stroke, junior forward Joston Thomas is coming off his first double-double of the season and junior swingman Hauns Brereton had a career-high 22 off the bench vs. SCSU.
"I think we showed the kind of team we can be (on Thursday)," said senior point guard Miah Ostrowski, who had seven points and six assists in that game. "We can slow it down and grind you out, or we can push it and run and hit 3s. And when everybody’s on the same page, we (can) score 100 points. That’s tough to do in any college game. It was fun to be a part of."
The last time UH beat a ranked team twice in one season was in 2001, when the ‘Bows topped Fresno State at home (No. 19) and at the WAC tournament (No. 25).
UH last beat two different ranked teams in 1997-98 behind the Alika Smith/Anthony Carter tandem: No. 2 Kansas and No. 21 Indiana.
Former UH coach Riley Wallace will be in attendance to see UH and his great nephew, UNLV senior Kendall Wallace. The backup guard was part of the Rebels squad that beat UH 77-53 in the semifinals of the inaugural Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic in 2009.
