Laura Beeman has frequently spoken of following “the process” in the University of Hawaii women’s basketball team’s development through the regular season.

That said, the Rainbow Wahine coach wouldn’t object to skipping a step next week.

The Rainbow Wahine (17-10, 10-4 Big West) enter their final homestand tied for second in the conference standings and close the regular season against UC Santa Barbara on Thursday and Cal Poly on Saturday at the Stan Sheriff Center.

If they can hold onto second after Saturday’s finale they won’t play again until the semifinals of the Big West tournament March 11 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Falter and the road to the Big West tournament title grows more arduous.

“We cannot overlook Santa Barbara or Cal Poly and I do not feel in any way, shape or form the girls are,” Beeman said. “I feel they’re very locked in, they’re very focused, they want that double bye.”

UC Riverside (21-7, 14-0) secured the Big West regular-season championship and the top seed in next week’s conference tournament with an 81-77 win over UH last Saturday.

UH and Long Beach State (21-7) both enter the week at 10-4 and a sweep of the regular-season series gives the Wahine the tiebreaker if they remain even after Saturday’s games.

Long Beach State has a home game against fourth-place UC Davis and a road game at CSUN left on the schedule. UC Davis (16-11, 9-5) is also within sight of second, a game behind UH and LBSU.

A third- or fourth-place finish means having to win three games in four days, starting in the quarterfinals a week from today.

UC Santa Barbara (11-18, 8-7 Big West) closes its Big West season on Thursday and still has hopes of climbing into the top four, which comes with a first-round bye.

“Both teams are going to come in with a lot to play for on Thursday,” Beeman said.

In their first meeting, UH pulled out a 63-62 win over UCSB on Feb. 6 on Ashleigh Karaitiana’s 3-pointer with 14 seconds left at The Thunderdome.

Karaitiana will be among six seniors honored after Saturday’s regular-season finale, but the Wahine are keeping the emotion of senior night on the horizon while preparing for UCSB.

“Our confidence is high and we’re mature as a team, so we know how important these last two games are and we know how we have to finish the season off strong,” said senior guard Marissa Wimbley. “So we’re not overlooking Santa Barbara at all. They’re fighting just as much as we are.”

UH’s road wins over UCSB and Cal Poly in early February were part of a seven-game winning streak that ended with last Saturday’s loss at Riverside.

The Wahine have nine players averaging at least 15 minutes per game, topping out at Destiny King’s 26.4. King leads UH in scoring with 10.6 points per game going into her final two appearances at the Sheriff Center along with fellow seniors Karaitiana, Wimbley, Kalei Adolpho, Connie Morris and Brianna Kennedy.

UCSB alternated wins and losses throughout February to begin March fifth in the conference. The Gauchos are led by guard Makala Roper’s 12.1 points per game, with guard Jasmine Ware next at 10.5.

Thursday’s game has been designated Public Safety Appreciation Night. Saturday’s senior-night game will be a “White Out” and the Wahine will also hold their Youth Outreach Sneaker Drive. Fans are encouraged to being new or gently used sneakers to donate to at-risk and homeless youth.