Rainbow Warriors getting work in crunch time

In the 34-game 2015-16 basketball season, Big West champion Hawaii played a grand total of four contests that came down to a single basket.

In the so-far see-saw season of 2016-17, the Rainbow Warriors have already played three such games — out of six.

UH (3-3) concludes a seven-game season-opening homestand today against scheduling staple Arkansas-Pine Bluff. If the learn-as-they-go ’Bows manage to build a lead and beat the Golden Lions going away — as UH has in three of the past four seasons — it will be another new experience.

They are 1-for-3 in games that are decided by or within three points on the scoreboard. A fourth game, a narrow win over Texas State, nearly went to the wire.

“Obviously we would like to win every game by a lot if we could,” point guard Brocke Stepteau said. “But I think it’s building character. A couple times we’ve come out on the winning end, a couple times on the losing end. We got great looks in both times we lost … we just didn’t finish.”

Stepteau, who has the team’s best assist-to-turnover ratio (16-9), practiced with the first five Saturday and will likely make his first start today. In the last two outings, the sophomore took the playmaking reins from Sheriff Drammeh midstream. Drammeh shifted off the ball and Leland Green moved to the second unit.

“They all have to be ready,” UH coach Eran Ganot said. “We’re going to mix things until we get the combination we want on the floor.”

Especially in crunch time. Hawaii opened the season with a 69-68 loss to Southern Illinois-Edwardsville; edged Florida Atlantic 64-63 to conclude the Rainbow Classic; and on Friday fell to Troy 65-63.

In those losses, UH had the ball down a point late, only to turn the ball over in the paint. In the win over FAU, Gibson Johnson banked in a last-second game winner.

The Troy game was especially painful, as UH gave up the game’s first 16 points and rallied back. The ’Bows still had a great chance to send it to overtime in the final seconds, but Noah Allen was off the mark on a driving layup past a defender. Jack Purchase’s putback attempt missed and might’ve been too late anyway.

“It’s not healthy in a lot of different ways, but I think in terms of the short-term and long-term growth of our guys it’s good, to be more battle-tested,” Ganot said. “To play under duress, to play in tough moments.”

UH spent the next day with extensive team time in film review.

Johnson wore a precautionary protective boot around his left foot Saturday after tweaking it late against Troy. He’s considered probable to play.

The team’s perfect record (7-0) of wins coming off a loss under Ganot is at stake. Pine Bluff may have to overachieve to be the team to end it. The SWAC team is making its fifth trip here in seven seasons and generally hasn’t come close.

UH has defeated the Lions by margins of 27, 28, and 28 in the past three meetings. UAPB (1-4) is known for playing an aggressive, trapping zone defense. On offense, they often go to isolations.

Pine Bluff coach George Ivory looks forward to this trip every year, despite the series’ lopsided nature. He said mutual interest with UH keeps it going.

UAPB dropped a triple-overtime game to NAIA school Blue Mountain College (Miss.) on Monday. The Lions are coming off a 66-43 loss at Siena in New York on Wednesday, in which no Lions player scored in double figures. They shot 14-for-53 (26.4 percent) from the field.

“One thing we gotta do, is we gotta make some more shots,” Ivory said. “I thought we missed a lot of shots we should have made. But overall I think we’re headed in the right direction.”

The top Pine Bluff scorer in last season’s visit to UH, Ghiavonni Robinson, is back for more. He had 14 then (on 6-for-21 shooting) and is the only Lion now averaging double figures (13.0 ppg). Starting forward Devin Berry is questionable with a bruised wrist.

For the season, Pine Bluff is shooting 36.2 percent, including just 24.3 percent on 3s. They have, however, collected better than 10 steals per game.

Troy had 10 swipes on Hawaii on Friday.

They’re also good at denying the 3; the Lions have held opponents to only 19.2 percent shooting from deep.

UH TIPOFF

ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF AT HAWAII

Series: UH leads 4-0

——————

WHEN: 7 p.m. today • WHERE: Stan Sheriff Center

ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF GOLDEN LIONS (1-4)

Projected starting lineup:

WHEN UAPB HAS THE BALL

Robinson, who scored 14 in Honolulu last year, attempts 3s at a high rate — six jacks per game — but doesn’t necessarily make them at just 30 percent. Steen has come on after a slow start and is the top threat in the frontcourt. Harper is 0-for-12 from downtown this season.

HAWAII RAINBOW WARRIORS (3-3)

Projected starting lineup:

WHEN HAWAII HAS THE BALL

Stepteau, who has 12 assists off the bench in the last two games, has been given the keys to the offense and will likely make his first career start. Against Troy, he showed the ability to get past bigger defenders and draw contact. Drammeh finished that game playing off the ball and could stay there if this shakeup is successful.