Benjy Taylor is not in denial about what awaits his University of Hawaii basketball team as Big West conference play gets underway.

The Rainbow Warriors chalked up some impressive victories before the New Year, but now comes the grind.

Now you don’t play on ESPN, trying to gain national respect with upsets. Now you play in anonymity for survival and to prove you’re not a fluke.

Cal Poly is not Pitt. It is not Nebraska. Nor is it Colorado. Hawaii beat those three teams from Power Five conferences (and who are a combined 12 games over .500) in building a resume that could help Taylor out of coaching purgatory.

But sources tell us that Taylor turned down a one-year extension offer from the UH administration. Taylor wouldn’t confirm it Tuesday but didn’t deny it either.

"I really don’t want to get into that. As far as I’m concerned there have been no realistic talks or offers that I can consider," Taylor said. "It’s not like we’re far apart, I just want to concentrate on winning games and I don’t want us to get sidetracked. I have an agent, he deals with it."

What he is worried about is the Mustangs and the Big West in general. It’s still not considered a very good league. But in conference, everybody knows everybody. You get time to scout. You play each other twice.

Your coaching acumen is tested in many ways.

Hawaii is 12-4, the best record in the conference. But, as Taylor said, everyone is 0-0 now. And UH hosts a school that has beaten the Rainbow Warriors five of the past six times.

"It’s a big one and it’s a tough one," Taylor said. "In the past we’ve not played well historically. We haven’t matched up well. but that’s the past. I think this game is either gonna be great or really bad."

Taylor is accurate when he says this UH team’s style is much different than Arnold’s, especially last year’s. And he makes a good point when he contends that this group might be tougher to scout because the production is spread out among more players. Six have been game-high in scoring and eight in rebounding.

Suddenly, with the improvement of Stefan Jovanovic and the eligibility of Stefan Jankovic, UH has a viable low-post game, as both are 6 feet 11 and not stiffs.

The Rainbows are still perimeter-centric, but the emergence of the Stefans has made the team at least somewhat more well-rounded.

"(Big West play in past years) exposed us in areas, certain guys had to have the ball," Taylor said. "Now we’re a more versatile team. Moving and sharing of the basketball and being balanced. We’re not necessarily looking for guys scoring 20 to 25 points, but more guys scoring 15 to 18."

With starting guard Garrett Nevels likely out for a while after hand surgery that versatility and depth become even more important.

And there’s this too: How much does scouting really matter against ferocious defense of the variety that UH has played, especially by Roderick Bobbitt at guard?

That in-your-shirt defense is contagious. And unless it results in too many fouls, it could make the difference for Hawaii in the Big West.

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quick-reads.