LOS ANGELES >> In preparing for an uncommon opportunity, there is comfort in structure.

Between breakfast and bedtime, few moments are unaccounted for in the day during the University of Hawaii women’s basketball team’s road trips.

The Rainbow Wahine have embraced the routine and made themselves quite at home in their various stops with 22 wins in their last 30 games on the mainland stretching over two seasons.

So with an NCAA tournament appearance now one day away, the Wahine remain focused on sticking with the familiar in the run-up to a first-round matchup with UCLA.

“I am absolutely big on consistency,” UH coach Laura Beeman said. “If we can get the same bus driver, same hotel. … It’s not superstition, it’s consistency.”

The approach has produced consistent results, with the Wahine 12-3 off-island this season heading into their NCAA tournament appearance against the host Bruins (24-8) on Saturday at Pauley Pavilion.

The Rainbow Wahine (21-10) held their first practice in Westwood on Thursday, a two-hour session on Sue and Al Scates Court in UCLA’s Student Activities Center, a couple of buildings away from Pauley Pavilion.

Not that the change of scenery required a change in outlook for the Wahine.

“Being here, it really isn’t anything different for us,” Beeman said. “It’s just another road trip at this point.”

Even so, there’s no getting around that Saturday’s game isn’t just another game, a factor Beeman plans to address in straight-forward fashion as tip-off approaches.

“We’re going to talk about that. Yup it’s a big game, you can’t hide that,” Beeman said. “These kids have never been in the NCAA tournament, so yes, it’s a big game. But what doesn’t change is what happens between the sidelines and the baselines.”

Beeman was pleased with the effort in Thursday’s practice as the Wahine worked through the Bruins’ sets while working out the effects of Wednesday’s flight from Honolulu.

Having a few days to acclimate helps, as does the experience of a team with six seniors familiar with adapting to frequent travel.

“I think it comes to recovery,” UH senior Destiny King said. “We know what things to eat while we’re on the road that will help with jet lag, making sure that we rest our bodies, also doing things that we do when we’re back home.

“The adjustment was the recovery part. Doing a lot of stretching, doing a lot of cold tub, foam rolling and stuff like that.”

The daily itinerary leaves little time for lounging around the hotel.

Thursday’s schedule began with a late breakfast after giving the players some extra sleep coming off the flight. They had weightlifting before lunch and a film session after followed by practice at UCLA from 3 to 5 p.m. Dinner, study hall and another film session finished off the day.

“It’s a school day,” Beeman said.

The scene shifts to Pauley Pavilion today when the Wahine get their allotted 90-minute practice after Beeman and selected players address the media in the pre-tournament press conference. Just another step toward the opportunity awaiting on Saturday.

“I think we’ve been excited since the (Big West) championship game,” King said. “We’ve continued our focus, I think that’s the biggest thing.

“The first two practices (in Honolulu) they were a different focus, they were individually focused. Today it was more of a team focus. It’s taking steps into this game.”