The Hawaii basketball team’s next step is against a Hawaii Pacific program whose campus is 21,120 feet away.

The intra-island game tips off at 5 p.m. today in the Stan Sheriff Center.

“It’s another chance to get better,” said Chris Gerlufsen, UH’s acting head coach. “We’re going to stay focused on what’s next. The next game is always going to be the most important. We know HPU is going to come in here ready for a battle as well.”

The game will have split meaning. It will count toward the Rainbow Warriors’ regular-season record, but it will viewed as an exhibition for the Division II Sharks.

“HPU is extremely well coached,” Gerlufsen said. “They’re a team that presents another challenge in terms of how they shoot the ball really well from the perimeter.”

The Sharks make an average 10.5 3-point shots per game on 38.5% accuracy. David Rowlands has hit 60% of his 3s.

In theory, HPU has the same offensive approach as the ’Bows’ previous opponent. San Francisco had won its first seven games with a free-wheeling style that made about 12 treys per game. But the ’Bows’ clingy man-to-man defense held the Dons to seven 3s, with two coming when the outcome had been decided. The ’Bows won 85-75.

“For the majority of the game (against USF), I thought we did a really good job of paying attention to what we thought would help us win the game,” Gerlufsen said. “That’s a credit to the players.”

The ’Bows also slowed the Dons’ transition and won the battle on the glass. The Dons had averaged plus-12 rebounding advantages against their previous seven opponents. And when the Dons made an 8-0 run to take a four-point lead, the ’Bows answered by scoring 21 of the next 25 points.

“Our response was spot on,” Gerlufsen said. “That’s exactly how you have to respond. We didn’t fold. We bent, but we didn’t break. That’s a mark of a team that’s maturing and moving in the right direction.”

Gerlufsen said he is hopeful more minutes will be available for reserves Justin Webster, Bernardo da Silva, Mate Colina, Justin Webster and Kameron Ng.

Gerlufsen said freshman Jessiya Villa, who returned from a two-year church mission in July, is making progress. Villa has not played in a game this season. “Sometimes it takes a little time to get back into the basketball swing of things,” Gerlufsen said. “He’s a kid who works extremely hard. He’s a tremendous teammate. He’s about all the right things.”

For Villa and Ng, who has not played in the past three games, “those guys’ time will come,” Gerlufsen said. “They have really good perimeter guys in front of them. It’s a matter of them improving every day in practice, and continuing to work. Every ship arrives at port at a different time.”

NCAA basketball

At Stan Sheriff Center

Hawaii Pacific (2-2) vs. Hawaii (5-2)

>> When: Today, 5 p.m.

>> TV: Spectrum Sports (Ch. 16/1016)

>> Radio: 1420-AM / 92.7 FM