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A three-game road winning streak got the third-place Hawaii men’s basketball team noticed in the Big West Conference.
That rare mainland feat — only the team’s fifth since becoming a member of a Division I conference — had little effect in increasing the Rainbow Warriors’ profile in ESPN’s 11th and final BracketBusters event, however.
Junior forward Christian Standhardinger was named the Big West Conference Player of the Week on Monday for averaging 20.5 points and nine rebounds in UH’s comeback wins at UC Riverside (72-68) and Cal State Fullerton (77-75) last week.
"It feels amazing. I’ve put a lot of work on it, extra shooting and all that. Little steps show you that you did a good job. They help you to motivate yourself," Standhardinger said. "But I would have never got that award without my teammates and my point guard Jace (Tavita), and I’m very thankful for that."
Later Monday, UH’s opponent in ESPN’s annual BracketBusters event was announced. The Rainbow Warriors drew Northern Arizona of the Big Sky Conference. The Lumberjacks (7-14) will play at the Stan Sheriff Center on Feb. 23.
"I don’t know them all that well. We’ll continue to focus on the conference until that week comes up," UH coach Gib Arnold said.
UH (13-9, 7-4 ) hosts first-place Long Beach State (13-8, 9-1) on Thursday.
The NAU game was not selected as one of 13 to be nationally televised. Of the Big West, only LBSU (vs. Stephen F. Austin) and second-place Pacific (at Western Michigan) received national TV games.
While UH’s BracketBusters opponent last season, Montana, also came from the Big Sky, this foe doesn’t offer the same pedigree. Montana beat UH 94-79 and went on to win the league and qualify for the NCAA Tournament. NAU is currently in seventh place at 4-7, and RealtimeRPI.com rates the Lumberjacks 255th nationally to UH’s 167.
ESPN announced in December that this year’s BracketBusters event would be the last before it is discontinued. Arnold, for one, won’t miss it.
"We don’t control that (the pairing). I’m not a big fan of the BracketBuster," Arnold said. "It takes away from the conference; that should be the emphasis. I really like the rhythm you get in in the conference when you play two games a week. All of a sudden you stop and you’re only playing one. … It’s a game we’re contractually bound to be in. And we’ll do it. But right now our mind-set needs to be in the Big West."
UH will play a mandatory return game in Flagstaff, Ariz., next season. The Feb. 23 game will be the programs’ first meeting. Montana will come to the Sheriff in a return game next season as well.
UH has participated in BracketBusters all 10 previous years of the event. The ‘Bows are 4-6 in those games, including only 1-3 at home.
Clarification
Tickets for UH’s "Fotu" promotion for the four remaining Big West Conference home games at the price of two ($42) may only be found online.
Visit hawaiiathletics.com or etickethawaii.com for more information.
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