‘Bows find meaning in BracketBusters

ESPN’s BracketBusters event has for years been widely criticized as close to meaningless for the majority of its mid-major participants.

There is plenty of meaning to be found, however, in Hawaii’s last hurrah in the soon-to-be defunct 11-year event. UH takes on Northern Arizona of the Big Sky Conference today.

Though this first meeting between the programs has no chance of increasing UH’s postseason profile, the Rainbow Warriors nonetheless have much on their minds. The prospect of a third straight loss, not to mention their first showing without injured starting guard Brandon Spearman, gives them a prime opportunity to right themselves before Big West play resumes next week.

To top it off, the Lumberjacks play the same perimeter-oriented brand of basketball that’s given UH recurring fits. If the Rainbow Warriors can make headway against a team featuring dynamic guards, they could gain confidence for potential matchups against teams such as UC Davis and Cal Poly in the Big West Conference tournament next month.

Spearman, who went down with a severe ankle sprain in UH’s loss at Pacific a week ago, continues to rehab every day. But the prospects of a late-season return by the team’s best all-around perimeter player remain dim.

"I think it’s important for us to get back on the winning ways," UH coach Gib Arnold said of today’s matchup. "I think it’s important for us to play without Brandon Spearman. It’s something we’re going to have to deal with here for the rest of the season. … It’s something where we gotta get guys accustomed to playing their new roles or their new minutes. Very important. Big game."

It is likely that UH will begin with a larger lineup, with freshman Isaac Fotu taking Spearman’s place as a starter. But freshman guard Brandon Jawato, the team’s top 3-point shooter, is another option for increased minutes. Reserves Manroop Clair, Ozren Pavlovic and Garrett Jefferson are also in line to share the 26 minutes per game vacated by Spearman.

"I think it’ll be good for us. Guys gotta step up," senior point guard Jace Tavita said. "There’s a lot of minutes and opportunities to step up and help us the way they can. Guys like Jawato, Fotu playing more, Christian (Standhardinger) on the wing more. Those guys gotta step up."

Jawato hasn’t shot well lately, going 1-for-12 over the past three games. He received reassurance from the UH coaches this week to keep shooting.

"I’m just going to try to go out there and play my game," Jawato said. "Help out defensively because B’s out. Just be there for my teammates on the offensive side too."

ESPN announced in December that this year’s BracketBusters event would be the last. Criticisms pegged the event as too watered down to matter — it grew from a handful of handpicked mid-major programs on the NCAA Tournament bubble to more than 100, many of which had no shot at the postseason. UH is 4-6 in the event, but only 1-3 at home.

Surprisingly, Northern Arizona coach Jack Murphy said he didn’t mind breaking away from the Big Sky for a trip across the Pacific Ocean in late February. The Lumberjacks are tied for seventh in the Big Sky and are fighting for one of seven berths to their conference tournament.

"It’s actually a welcome break for us," Murphy said. "It gives us a mental break, a little bit, from the cutthroat nature of what our conference is."

Lumberjacks senior point guard Stallon Saldivar posted the program’s first triple-double on Feb. 9. He is officially a game-time decision with an ankle injury, though Murphy said he will not play until next week at the earliest. Saldivar is a big reason why NAU leads its league in assists at 14.2 per game.

UH prepared Friday as though Saldivar will play. Northern Arizona’s biggest offensive threat is 6-foot-2 senior guard Gabe Rogers, the Big Sky’s top scorer at 17.7 ppg. He’s made three or more 3-pointers in eight of his past nine games and nearly 50 percent (30-for-61) from deep for the season.

Freshman guard DeWayne Russell brings 14.7 ppg off the bench. He’s the country’s 13th-highest-scoring frosh.

In the past seven games, Tavita has 49 assists (7.0 per game) against 15 turnovers. He’s up to 5.5 apg on the season.

Senior center Vander Joaquim needs nine points to pass Matt Gibson (1,126 points) on the UH all-time scoring list at No. 10.