If Northern Arizona coach Jack Murphy has his way, the extent of "Star Wars" references for today’s game against Hawaii will be limited to "The Lumberjacks Strike Back."

The Rainbow Warriors kept a stranglehold on the ‘Jacks in an 84-50 rout last February as part of "Star Wars Night" at the Stan Sheriff Center.

NAU (2-6) will try to return the favor — minus the sci-fi theatrics — on UH (5-2) in a return game from that lopsided BracketBusters affair at 2 p.m. in Flagstaff, Ariz. UH is seeking a fourth straight victory.

"We ran into a buzz saw," Murphy said. "I think if Darth Vader or lightsabers come in, our guys would start breaking out in hives after seeing that last year. I think that would give Hawaii homecourt advantage."

As it is, the ‘Bows must overcome the 7,000-foot altitude of Flagstaff, in addition to a retooled roster by the Big Sky Conference team.

It snowed in the days leading up to the game and more was expected over the weekend.

"Truthfully, I’ve never even touched snow before," said redshirt freshman guard Dyrbe Enos, a Kamehameha product, prior to the trip. "This will be my first time. I don’t even know what to expect (besides) freezing. I’m just going to try to bring as much warm clothes as I can."

Before departing Honolulu for Phoenix on Thursday afternoon, UH spent the week adding wrinkles to some of its offensive sets coming off an improved defensive outing in a 72-61 defeat of another Big Sky team, Montana, last Friday to complete a three-game home-stand sweep.

"We’ve made some great strides the last couple of games," UH coach Gib Arnold said. "But I really want to see consistency. … The little mistakes that happened early, want to be past those. Want to make sure the counters — once people start seeing film, they know what you’re trying to get — then you really gotta rely on your counters. And it’s that time of the year where people got enough film on each other where they got good scouts on each other. So you really gotta get to your counters when they take away your No. 1 option."

One of UH’s top options will likely play through some discomfort again. UH starting forward Isaac Fotu (fractured right hand) remained out of practices this week before departing with his teammates for the road. However, he was expected to go through the team walkthrough Friday and play today with the heavily wrapped "claw" cast.

The Walkup Skydome is one of the highest-altitude venues in Division I, but Arnold planned to downplay that aspect among his players in the program’s first trip to Flagstaff. UH athletes have recently succeeded in that thin air; the Rainbow Wahine basketball (74-66) and soccer (1-0) teams already notched nonconference wins there this year.

NAU isn’t expected to contend for the Big Sky title, but underestimating the ‘Jacks would be a mistake; UH’s road struggles are well documented. The ‘Bows have lost five straight mainland games overall, and six straight mainland nonconference games going back to 2011 — most recently a 92-80 loss vs. Missouri in Kansas City on Nov. 16.

Still, the ‘Bows have maintained an 86.9 points-per-game scoring average, good for 17th nationally going into today. UH is also a top-20 team in rebound margin (plus-10.0) and 3-point field-goal defense (.252).

NAU wants to apply the brakes as an inside-out team.

"We have some inexperience in the backcourt and it’s really showing with turnovers and whatnot, so we have to try to tone it down a little bit," said Murphy, NAU’s second-year coach. "(UH) is playing at a high pace, high tempo. Obviously I think when you let them get out in transition, their athletes can take over. Their guard play has been very, very good. I’ve been impressed with (point guard Keith) Shamburger and those guys. You have to really control pace and get them to play against your halfcourt defense. That’s something Montana did well to get themselves back in the game. It’s a tough challenge for our kids because Hawaii’s so loaded with talent."

NAU has played seven out of eight on the road. The Lumberjacks just took Fresno State to overtime before falling 71-67 in Fresno, Calif., on Sunday.

NAU’s best player is its lone senior, forward Max Jacobsen (16.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg), but junior college transfer guards Quinton Upshur (14.8 ppg) and Aaseem Dixon (11.3 ppg) must be respected as well.

"It’s those three guys we really gotta be aware of," said UH assistant Brandyn Akana, who had the scout on NAU.

Of the 10 NAU players who saw action against UH last year, only three remain on the ‘Jacks roster — and Jacobsen is one of them. He had six points in that outing.

"They’re a bigger team and more athletic team," Akana said, contrasting this edition to last year’s overwhelmed group. "Last year they had smaller guards, their best players were all little guys and they were quick. But this year they got some big guys … a little more athletic, a little more talented, I think. They pose a lot of problems in the post."